Zelda: Fighting Demons
by Hammermaster
Summary: Link is being stalked by an ancient evil. Then he meets a man who speaks of a way he may escape from the darkness. Chapter 11 Fall of Death. Final Chapter. Death is defeated.
1. Chapter 1 Fury of Night

**Fighting Demons**

**Chapter 1 Fury of Night**

_**Hello good people. How are you all? I am taking a break from writing my current major story "Darkness Falls on Mineral Town" (a Harvest Moon fanfic) to write this story, because I got this great idea, much like when I got the idea for my other Zelda fic "Light One, Dark One." And I just got writer's block in "Darkness Falls on Mineral Town." So I hop that this is satisfactory. Please read and review, I would appreciate it.**_

Pouring Rain streaked across his face as he rode across Hyrule Field. The Dark sky overhead announced its dark intentions long before it struck. Lighting flared, and thunder roared as the lone rider rode on. It was day, but a strange dark aurora had come upon the land, as if it was gripped in the very fist of evil. Some would say this was true. The rider's horse galloped quickly, for it did not want to be out there when night came. But where could they go? Both the horse and the rider trusted each other with their secrets. Both knew what would occur under the true cover of darkness.

The rider brushed his light blond hair out of his eyes as the rain came down all around him. In the darkness, his green cloak was hardly distinguishable as green.

The sky roared, and the wind howled, reminding the two of them that daylight was slowly ticking away. If the clouds had not been there, both would have seen the rim of the sun slowly moving down below the horizon. But they were far away from any source of habitation. They were currently riding near the ruins of Hyrule Castle, but it had long since been abandoned when the forces of darkness had taken it. Now it was the home of dark beings. Of redeads. Gruesome, zombie like figures. Like corpses they walked, searching for victims to destroy. Were they the living dead as they appeared? Or demons, as his fairy described.

Suddenly the rider knew where he could go. Lon Lon Ranch! But Lon Lon Ranch was a good ride away, and the sun would be down in a matter of minutes. The Rider immediately altered the horses course, and dug his heals into its sides, a plea for it to run faster. The horse's instinct told it to beware of the Darkness, so it obeyed its master. Faster, faster, and faster they rode, the rider all the time whipping the horse with the reigns, urging it to go faster and faster.

* * *

Everyone knew of the darkness. Even Malon, the farm girl. She never left her ranch anymore, but she still knew of what would happen. The world had become a dangerous place for girls like her. Even though she was seventeen. That was why she was closing the gates for the night. She walked to the entrance, and began drawing the two doors shut. She closed them against the night. She closed them against the darkness. But unknowingly, she had also closed them against a very dear friend of hers. The gates clanged shut, ringing like the dinner bell to certain dark creatures waiting for this opportunity.

* * *

The horse stopped at the closed gate. The rider just stared, dumbfounded. Now he was trapped out there. Now he would be forced to face the darkness, and he knew what would happen. The rider drew his sword, and turned his horse around. He stared out across the darkened plains, searching for an enemy. Searching for the ones who wished to destroy him. 

A dark sensation ran down the rider's neck as the sun finally dipped below the horizon. They sky was now not only dark from the clouds, but also from the night. Hyrule Field had become a land of shadow. Then it happened. A low, mournful howl rose up above the fields, ringing in the rider's ears. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

"There must be somewhere we can go," he said, even though he knew it was hopeless.

In the darkness, the rider could see the lights of a village far off across Hyrule Field. It would be safe there. The rider sheathed his sword, and spoke to the horse.

"Ride Epona," he said, and the horse began trotting across the Field.

"Faster," the rider said, digging his heals into the sides of the horse.

The horse broke into a gallop. The howl sounded again, this time closer. The rider urged his horse to go even faster, pushing it to more than its limits. The hooves of the horse pounded against the cold ground as it ran, hoping to escape from the enveloping darkness. But the darkness pursued them.

Suddenly eyes began to appear in the darkness. Yellow, horrible eyes. Like ghosts from the dead they rose, and began floating towards the rider and his horse. The rider dug his heals in again. The horse ran faster. Suddenly the yellow eyes shot towards him.

The rider put his hand up against his forehead, feeling where they had struck him. Blood trickled down from an open wound on his head. Then they struck again. This time his shoulder was torn open. The rider roared in pain. They shot in and out, slashing at his unprotected body each time. His clothing and his skin were both ripped open each time a blow landed. There was no way he could possible survive this. The rider drew his sword. He turned, and looked at one of the pairs of eyes. It shot towards him, but this time he was ready. When it flew in to strike, the rider slashed it with his sword. A moan issued from the mouth of the creature, and the eyes blinked out. The flesh of whatever being had attacked him could be heard burning and dissolving. But there were more creatures waiting. The rider stopped his horse.

More bright lights appeared all around the rider. Whether they were eyes of dark creatures, or the lights of the dead, it was unknown. The rider, now swordsman, held his sword out towards the lights. The lights surrounded him. Eerie calls, and cries echoed out of the darkness, as if issuing from the lights themselves.

Suddenly a bright light shot out from the rider's hat. It was a fairy. His fairy to be exact. She was his guardian fairy, Navi.

"Link," Navi said. "You can't fight these things like that. Don't you know what you are facing?"

"Give me another method, and I'll take it," Link said dismissing his fairies advice.

She often spoke of certain enemies which could not be defeated by physical attacks, but Link, the rider, had never listened to her. He had seen numerous enemies fall with a chunk of metal through their hearts, and would not believe that any could survive such a thing.

"They will not perish under physical attacks!" Navi said.

"They will all perish under my attacks," he said, annoyed at Navi's warnings. "This is the Master Sword. It strikes down all evil."

"It will not strike down this evil," Navi said calmly.

"You want to bet on it?" Link challenged.

"What?" Navi said indignantly. "I'm just trying to help you Link! Honestly! I'm not preaching something impossible to you!"

"Yeah Navi," Link said coldly, "sure. Just like what you said about Phantom Ganon."

"You never killed him," Navi said. "Ganondorf banished him from the earth after you destroyed his physical body."

"And his Spirit was still there Navi. Sure, that's real accurate. Stop preaching your beliefs to me Navi! I don't believe in souls."

"They exist whether you choose to believe in them or not!"

Link drew his sword, and faced the lights. One of the creatures shot towards him, and he struck it down again. Three more shot out from the darkness, cutting his back. Link struck down one as it passed overhead.

"Yeah Navi," he said sarcastically, "I really can't fight them like this."

"You don't believe me just wait," she said angrily. "The more you strike down, the more will appear."

"Yeah, and I thought I didn't believe in spontaneous creation either."

Link swung his sword as the dark shapes began shooting out of the darkness towards him, their yellow eyes glowing. The rider hacked at their cold skin as they shot by, cutting deep through their flesh. Each one fell, and burned away when they were struck down. But they did not leave. More and more shadowy creatures began to appear, and all began to strike Link. He was overwhelmed. They were everywhere. The horse reared up, and neighed. Link now knew that there was no way he could survive this. He ran to his horse, and leapt up into the saddle. Without command, the horse began to gallop for the village lights. But the dark creatures chased after him. As he rode, he felt sharp blades cut into his sides, as well as dark fires burn his skin. The rider urged his horse onward.

"Link!" Navi shouted, "get to the town! These creatures cannot pass through the gates of it!"

Link, for once, headed her warnings. As he approached the entrance to the village, he saw a torch shining in the darkness, leading the way to the entrance. As the horse galloped on, he was finally able to make out the man holding the torch above his head. The pouring rain lashed all around him, almost darkening the light which he held. The man was dressed in a hooded cloak, which held off the torrent of rain.

"Come on!" the man shouted. "Through the gate!"

The man held the gate open to the rider and his horse, even though the gate should have been closed a while ago. But the man held it open anyways. The creatures cackled and shrieked as they attacked the rider from both sides, viciously slashing and burning his flesh. The horse leaped, and shot through the gate. The man quickly followed behind them, slamming the gate shut against the dark beings of the field. The horse and the rider kept running until they came to the entrance to the village. Then the rider stopped his horse, and turned around to the man who had helped them. Link climbed down from his horses back, and held its reigns tightly.

"You are very lucky," the man said, his face glowing in the torch light. "Not many have managed to survive out there during the night."

Link smirked at Navi, but the man did not see that.

"Its even luckier that I happened to be there when it happened. That gate was shut and locked until I came. You would never have gotten in."

"Thanks a lot," Link said.

The man smiled. "Come with me. You wouldn't mind having a hot drink after all that, now would you?"

Link followed the man into the village, noting how old the buildings looked. A splintered, wooden sign had the words: "Kakariko Village" written on it in aged letters. Link had been to this town seven years ago, but it had looked so much younger then. The sign had been newly painted, and the metal pole which it was attached to had been well shined. Now it was rusty, and old. The man lead Link to an old run down building. The pain was peeling, and the wood was cracked, but the man just smiled as he looked at his humble home. The man took hold of Link's horses reigns, and lead it over into some sort of stable next to the house. He then opened the door to his house, and beckoned for Link to enter.

"I am the gatekeeper," he said, as he ushered Link into his home. "I am in charge of opening the gate in the mornings, and closing it at night. Dark creatures never make it into this village. The rest of the world has fallen to the evil, but we have managed to keep it out. No one enters this town without first passing examination."

"You only let in people who pass your exams?" Link said, skeptical at the morality of this.

"In these times," the man said, "you just can't let anyone in. The mayor of this town, my father," the gatekeeper's mouth moved into a grin at this, "has always kept this town safe. You know for twenty years there hasn't been a robbery in this town. Many agents of the Dark Lord come here, hoping to infiltrate our village, and open the doors to the evil which lurks outside. But none of them have ever succeeded. I have made sure of that."

As he spoke, Link looked around the room curiously. In a few places on the ceiling, drops of rain leaked in, plopping into cups set beneath them. The gatekeeper drew back his hood, revealing a pale but friendly face. By the looks of him Link guessed that he was middle aged man. The house was small, suggesting that the man lived alone in his hermitage. In the center of the room stood a wooden table with a thin, white tablecloth stretched out over it. The gatekeeper pulled two chairs up to the table, beckoning Link to sit down on one. Link sat down.

The gatekeeper walked to a wooden cabinet, and removed two clay mugs from inside it. He then placed them on the table, and grabbed a tea pot from the counter. He then poured tea into each of the mugs, and pushed one across the table to Link. Link took it, and drank. The tea was warm and delicious, with a perfect blend of apple and cinnamon. The gatekeeper raised his mug up as if proposing a toast, before drinking some of his own elixir. He then placed the cup back down on the table, and looked over at Link.

"Now tell me," he said with a friendly smile. "What's a young man like you doing out in the field at this time of night?"

"Me and my..." Link stopped, deciding not to tell the man about Navi. "I was riding through Hyrule Field when the sky began to darken. I tried to take refuge in Lon Lon Ranch, but the gates had already been shut. So I rode through the darkness until I arrived here."

"Them Poes gave you a bit of trouble I see," the man said.

"The what?"

"Poes," the man said again. "The creatures of the night. You know. The lights."

Link nodded. Silence followed, for neither of them knew what to say. Link took another drink from his cup.

"You can come out now," the man said, but not to Link, "I know you're here. I've known it since he came."

Navi the fairy popped out from Link's hat, and flew over to the man.

"Who are you?" she said, "how did you know I was there?"

"I'm the gatekeeper," the man said. "I can always tell when a fairy is present. Blessed creatures of light they are."

Navi smiled at the man's compliments, but said nothing.

"I've had my experience with fairies in the past," he said. "There was once an age when fairies were everywhere. But not anymore. Now they mostly live in the Lost Woods. One of the only places which welcomes them. And now that evil has taken the land, there are barely any fairies left."

"She can get a bit preachy at times," Link said, in an attempt to silence anymore comments about Navi.

"Son," the gatekeeper said. "You are ashamed of your fairy partner."

"She's not really my partner sir. She's just a fairy who was sent to accompany me on my quest."

"See?" the man said. "One must never be ashamed of there fairy. Not many of them left as I've said. Not many people have the privilege of having a guardian fairy anymore."

"Why do you speak so highly of fairies?" Link said, this time curiously, not scornfully.

"Fairies are creatures of light," the gatekeeper said. "Essentially the opposite of Poes as you have probably figured out. Many Poes were once fairies, or like fairies. But they fell to evil. Twisted they were by it. Ruined by the darkness. Now they are slaves to their own desires."

The man took a long drink from his mug.

"Maybe a day will come when fairies are common again. Maybe a day will come when fairies are accepted again."

"Poes," Link said thoughtfully. "I figured they were like dead people come back to haunt us or something."

"Why would the dead want to haunt you?" the man asked. "No. Dead people no longer play any part in the world of the living. They go on to the place of eternal rest. Unless they fall."

The man then noticed the cut on Link's forehead.

"Them Poes scratched you up a bit?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah," Link said looking at his tattered and singed clothing, soaked with blood in some places.

The gatekeeper stood up, and walked over to Link's side. He then placed his hand against Link's forehead, and closed his eyes. The man's mouth began moving, as if muttering something under his breath. Suddenly a feeling of warmth covered Link's flesh, and his wounds began to heal themselves. The gatekeeper opened his eyes, and removed his hand from Link's forehead before sitting back down in his chair. Link looked down at his healed body in amazement. There weren't even any scars.

"That's amazing!" he said. "How did... how did you do that?"

"Something you will come to learn," the man said, "is that there are other powers at work in this world besides the powers of darkness."

"So these... Poes," Link said quizzically. "They prey on anyone they find in the Field?"

"More or less," the man said. "Though sometimes they meet a man that they cannot touch."

"A man that they cannot touch?"

The man smiled at Link's question.

"Didn't you notice?" he asked. "They didn't attack your fairy?"

Link stopped. He had noticed that. They hadn't attacked Epona either, but that made sense, for she was only a horse.

"Why didn't they?" he asked. "I mean, if she truly is the opposite of what they are, then wouldn't they have attacked her. For if they are opposites, then aren't they enemies?"

"Of course," the gatekeeper said. "But Navi is a fairy. A symbol of what is good. A Poe can't stand to be around such a creature, for it shows them how evil they truly are."

Link took another sip of his warm tea.

"So," the gatekeeper said. "Where are you from? I imagine you don't live here in the village, since you were riding so far away from it so late in the day. You should know that it is quite foolish to be outside when it is so close to night time."

Link thought about telling the man the truth. About how he had just come from the water temple. How he had traveled across Hyrule Field to the Temple of Time to find Sheik, the strange man who had helped him numerous times in the past. But then he had not found him there. Then he had to stay, and face the night.

"I come from another country," Link lied. "I was traveling through Hyrule Field. I have been traveling for years. And then I came to the ruins of Hyrule castle. I didn't know that those creatures appeared at night."

The man said nothing for a while, clearly not believing Link's answer.

"How did you know the castle was known as Hyrule castle?" the gatekeeper asked.

"I..." Link said, trying to think of a reason why. "There was a sign on the wall."

"I have been to the ruins of the castle many times," the man said. "There is no sign on it. And how did you know about Lon Lon Ranch? And besides, the border of Hyrule is miles and miles away from the castle. It would take you more than one day to ride this far. You would have already have spent a night in Hyrule, and as such would be dead now."

Link said nothing. He knew he'd been caught.

"Care to tell me again," the man said, "except without the lies?"

Link didn't speak.

"That sword you carry," the man said, "I know what it is. The Master Sword. You pulled it out from the pedestal in the Temple of Time, and then you were transported into the future. It would have been about... seven years since you pulled the sword from the pedestal. Seven is a significant number you know."

"It is?" Link said in surprise.

"Yeah," the man said, "ever heard of a lamb with seven horns?"

"No."

"Anyways," the gatekeeper said, "you drew the sword from the pedestal, so that makes you the Hero of Time. Is what I say correct?"

Link was astonished. The man had just said Hero of Time as if it were unimportant. Link was used to everyone speaking of his title as so high and mighty, and expecting him to be a wonderful person because he was "chosen to take up the position."

"You speak of it as if it were unimportant," Link said. "People tell me I was chosen to take up this position. So does that make me like... pure of heart or something?"

The gatekeeper chuckled.

"My boy," he said, "you've been reading too many stories. You did not receive the sword because you entered the chamber and the sword deemed that you were pure of heart. No. People think of the Master Sword as alive. They think of it as a mighty creature which casts down evil in the form of a sword. But in truth, it is just a weapon. That is it. I'm not saying that it isn't special mind you. It is filled with a strong energy which can be accessed by the powers of light. But it is still just a bunch of metal that was forged together some time in the past."

The man finished his tea, pushing the mug aside.

"The door of time would have opened to anyone who had the three stones, and played the song of time. It didn't matter whether you were quote on quote, "pure of heart." But there's the question. What does pure of heart mean? Does it mean you are a good person? No. All men have their sins and their vices that they regularly fall to. But there is much to be said about the powers of forgiveness."

The gatekeeper smiled.

"So what exactly is your point," Link asked.

"You may very well have been the one to find the sword. You may very well have been the one to take the sword. But just because you have the sword doesn't mean you can control it. Only the powers of good can control the Master Sword."

"Are you saying I'm evil?" Link said, insulted.

"Oh no no no," the gatekeeper said. "But you fight the evil in the wrong way. You can not fight evil unless you ally yourself with good."

Link still didn't understand, but he let it pass. Link drank the rest of his tea before pushing the cup aside.

"Will Epona be okay?" he asked, remembering the building the gatekeeper had put her in.

"Your horse?" the man asked. "She'll be just fine. That's a nice dry stable with well stocked hay bales. No doubt she thinks she's in heaven."

The man stood, and picked up the two mugs. He then placed them on the counter, and sat back down.

"Look," he said, "I have an extra room here in my house. Your welcome to stay with me for the night. It's certainly better than sleeping out in the rain."

"Thank you," Link said yawning.

"Best get you to bed," the man said.

_**I'm pretty sure I will make a couple of more chapters in this book, so keep in touch with this one, cause it could turn out real cool. Inspirational quote from "Young Frankenstein" and I'm outa here.**_

Igor: "Dr. Frankenstein."

Dr. Fredrick Frankenstein: "Fronkensteen."

Igor: "You're putting me on."

Dr. Fredrick Frankenstein: "No, it's pronounced Fronkensteen."

Igor: "Do you also say Froaderick?"

Dr. Fredrick Frankenstein: "No... Fredrick."


	2. Chapter 2 Afraid of the Dark

**Chapter 2 Afraid of the Dark**

_**I have returned with the second chapter to this book. Happy are we? This is getting exciting for me. This story is even darker than 'Darkness Fall's on Mineral Town.' I'm very happy that I had this very most wonderful idea.**_

A flash of lighting. A roar of thunder. Link immediately awoke from his sleep, and sat up in his bed. He looked to the window, where the curtain was drawn back, so the light from the bright snakes of light shot through the room each time they struck. Link looked around the dark room, searching the darkness all the while hoping not to see the face of a hidden enemy.

"Link," said Navi in a motherly tone as she floated out from his hat. "Are you okay? You look a little distressed."

"Don't worry about me Navi," Link said coldly. "I'm fine."

Navi was surprised at the harshness in Link's tone.

"Are you afraid of the dark?" Navi said, trying to say it without causing offense, but Link took this completely the wrong way.

"I am not afraid of the dark!" Link said angrily, even though he knew it wasn't true.

"Then what are you afraid of?" Navi asked, clearly concerned.

Link didn't say anything, but he knew what the answer was. Navi did as well.

"You should be afraid Link," Navi said. "After all, you know it's out there."

"I am not afraid," Link said as beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

"It is foolish to never feel fear," Navi said.

"What reason would I have to be afraid?"

"You know why you should be afraid," Navi said. "It is still out there. It is looking for you. Who knows how long it will be until it finds you."

"I have avoided it so far. Why should it catch up to me now."

"Because it will not give up. It has no reason to give up. Sooner or later, you will have to face it."

Link layed back down in the bed, and pulled the covers up to his chin. He then tried to get back asleep, but sleep was not easy.

Link awoke again the next morning, but not to song birds. As he opened his eyes he noticed the dark gray haze visible through the window. It was a dark morning.

"Doesn't it ever clear up around here?" Link asked, looking out the window at the dark clouds covering the sky.

Link then dressed himself before walking out from his room into the kitchen. The gatekeeper was sitting at the table. Two places were set, one for him, and one for Link. Both plates had two pieces of bacon on them as well as two fried eggs and a piece of bread.

"Up and awake I see," the gatekeeper said. "You are a late sleeper I see."

"Yeah," Link said in response to the man's odd comment.

"I've been up since it was just getting light again," the man said. "The job as a gatekeeper can be demanding at times. Gotta open the gates early in the morning, and gotta close them late at night. But I adapt you see. I adapt. I gotta turn back people who have been tainted by the darkness, even when they really need a place to stay. But I don't have a choice. A line must be drawn somewhere, and I can't compromise the safety of the village. You think one of them's gonna be okay, and then he goes and kills someone. Then we all rally together, and hunt down the killer and stop him before he can kill anymore. Or then their are those who have tried to bring Poes into the town with them. You can often feel the presence within them."

"So then shouldn't you be out... screening the new arrivals?" Link asked.

"Nah, not many people come to this town very often. Only every once in a while. Their is a guard at the entrance who watches for new arrivals during the day. He calls me up each time a new person arrives. Then I have to go through the long process of checking them. You meet a nice man, who tells a horrible story about his family all being murdered by the Poes, and how he has come to take refuge in our town. Then you check him, and find that he carries a Poe with him. The Poes are not his enemies, one is his friend. He may not know that this creature which travels with him is a Poe, or is evil, but even still, we must turn him back. Sooner or later, unless he realizes the identity of his "friend," and gets rid of it, the Poe will slowly turn him evil. It will poison his soul, and turn him against us."

Link looked up at this. There was that word again. Soul. Link had often heard people speaking at funerals, saying the dead man/woman had "gone to a better place." Link always was angered when they said this. He did not believe in souls. He disbelieved in them so much that he had come to resent those who did.

"Or maybe their brain," Link challenged, with a smirk.

"Excuse me?" the gatekeeper asked, not understanding what Link meant.

"Maybe the Poe poisons his brain."

"True true," the man said, "it does that. But it also strikes at the soul."

Link rolled his eyes.

"Unfortunately," the man continued, "some Poes have still managed to penetrate our village. Luckily the number is down to a minimum, considering the rest of Hyrule, but it is still significant. They are concentrated in the graveyard, and don't dare leave it. For when they leave, they are discovered, and I am called upon to get rid of the Poe."

"So these Poes, they live in the graveyard?"

"Oh yeah," the Gatekeeper said nodding. "Every once in a while I go in there to cast some of them away. We gotta keep the numbers of them down, or they could invade the town."

"How do you... cast them away?" Link asked. "You keep saying that, but I don't understand what you mean?"

"Poes can't be destroyed by physical attacks," the gatekeeper said, causing Link to roll his eyes. "So they must be cast away through other means."

"Other means?"

"Do you remember last night when I healed you?" the man said.

"Yes."

"Did you notice I was murmuring something? Well, what I murmured was no magic spell or black sorcery. Such tools come from the powers of evil. I was not chanting some sort of divination. I was calling upon the Lord of Light."

"Lord of Light?"

"Ganondwarf's enemy. All who are with the Lord of Light are against Ganondwarf. That's what I meant last night when I said that you had to ally yourself with the powers of good to fight Ganondwarf. You are no true enemy of his unless you are allied with his enemy."

"I am the enemy of Ganondwarf," Link snapped. "I am his greatest enemy. I am collecting the Six Medallions which will cast him away from this world!"

The gatekeeper shook his head.

"I'm afraid those Medallions will be no more than children's toys when wielded by someone who is not an ally of good. The Medallions only obey the commands of good."

Link stood up, and turned for the door.

"Where are you going?" the gatekeeper asked.

Link turned.

"To prove once and for all that these Poes can, and will be defeated by physical attacks."

"No," the gatekeeper said, standing up. "If you go out there you will be massacred."

"Don't do this Link," Navi said, popping out of his hat. "What the man says is true. Believe him."

Link ignored her pleas, and turned for the door. Link walked through the town, warily watching the dark gray mourning sky. This certainly wasn't natural darkness that had come upon the land. And those clouds did not appear to have formed naturally. Finally, at the far end of the town, Link found the entrance to the graveyard. He calmly walked forward, into the domain of the dead.

"Don't do this Link," Navi said.

"Quiet," Link replied, as he quietly stepped towards the ancient graveyard, careful not to make any noise.

The air was misty, and seemed darker than it had been back in the village. Now an unnatural silence hung overhead, for no one came in here. The silence seemed suspenseful, and sacred, so Link was careful not to disturb it. Before him stood the lonely grave stones of those long dead. Cold, gray tablets carved out of rock, with the names of those lying deep in the ground below them etched in the smooth surface. Link took a step forward. The eerie silence consumed him. Another step. Then a low, mournful howl echoed from somewhere far away, erasing the silence from the cold land. Then it happened. Link's attention was turned towards the ground in front of one of the stones. A hazy, clear gas seemed to be flowing out from a hole in the ground. It hissed as it came out, slowly rising up from the stone, and forming into a shape. It was a Poe. It cackled like some demon, and slowly began to float around the graveyard. Its face was cold, black, and lifeless. Its eyes glowed yellow in the misty air. In its rotten hands it clutched an ancient lantern, from which a dark flame emerged.

Link drew his sword. The Poe turned to the Hero of Time as it heard the cold steel of his blade sliding through the scabbard. The Poe chuckled evilly, and began floating towards Link.

"It's a Spirit," Navi whispered. "It cannot be killed."

Link raised his sword above his head, and ran towards the Poe. Then he leaped, and stabbed, but the Poe was not there to receive the blow.

"Where did it go?" Link asked, as he pulled his blade up from the earth.

Suddenly a sharp pain shot through his back as the Poe burned him with its supernatural flame. Link screamed, and swung his blade around again. This time his blade connected with his enemy. The Poe screeched as its flesh began to dissolve in a strange blue flame. Then, it winked out, and was gone. But a strange purple flame appeared in its place. The purple flame had a face in it.

"That's it," Navi said, "that's the Poe's spirit! I told you, but you didn't listen to me. You destroyed its physical form, but it is still here! You can not destroy a spirit!"

"We'll see about that," Link said, pulling an empty bottle from his back pack. He then swept the Poe Spirit into the flask, and quickly shoved the lid back on the bottle.

"I've got it here in this cup," Link said. "It can't escape from here. It is my prisoner."

"You cannot bind a spirit anymore than you can bind a soul," Navi said. "You do not have the authority."

"Shut up," Link said, before walking off through the graveyard.

"You don't believe me?" Navi said, flying after Link. "Then why is there a reason to be afraid of the dark?"

Link stopped walking, and turned to look at the tiny fairy. For a moment, silence reigned as Link gathered his thought's together.

"Do not speak about that," Link said. "I am not afraid of the dark."

Silent, haunting memories slowly moved through Link's brain. He knew what Navi referred to, but he didn't want to believe it.

_**Like it? Now more problems arrive. More spiritual battles and crap. Who is right? Navi, or Link? And why is it necessary to be afraid of the dark? What more awaits them in the cold graveyard? See you gents and ladies later.**_


	3. Chapter 3 Shackled Demons

**Chapter 3 Shackled Demons**

_**Hello again. Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I've been too busy writing 'Darkness Falls on Mineral Town.' Sorry. This is getting exciting, I am immensly happy about this chapter. And I should tell all you that some of the credit for this story goes to my brother, who thought up an idea which made me think up these ideas. So all hail my brother. Great thinker upper of ideas that help me think up other ideas.**_

Link walked past the cold stones of the past, looking for more paranormal activity. He began to wonder if these Poes were really the ghosts of the dead come back to haunt the living. But Link didn't believe in Souls, so this belief was hard to follow through with. But fallen fairies? That seemed even less likely. Link was not about to start believing the preachy talk of Navi and the gatekeeper. Link didn't believe in divine power. He believed in cold, hard facts. Everything could be proven. In fact, Link wasn't sure he could trust the gatekeeper. Maybe the gatekeeper was an agent of Ganondwarf, sent to deceive him. That surely was possible. Maybe the gatekeeper wanted Link to believe in these things so he could be corrupted easily. Navi had always told Link of these things, and Link had always disbelieved her. Would Navi lie to him?

Suddenly Link found himself standing before a large gravestone, which stood taller than all the others. On the front of it words were carved in the stone.

"Here lie the Sheikah," Link read. "Protectors of the Royal Family. Now fallen into darkness..."

It ended with three dots. What did that mean? How had the protectors of the Royal Family fallen into darkness? And what did the three dots mean? Did that signal that more was to come? Was it a clue? Link reached into his pocket, and took out his ocarina. Perhaps the dead would like to hear the melody of the royal family. The family which they had protected all those years. Link closed his eyes, and began playing Zelda's melody. The notes rang, happy and at the same time sad. Mournful, and at the same time, joyful. Link ended the song with a reverberating low note.

Link put his ocarina away, and looked up at the gray tablet. Suddenly it began to rain. Thunder rumbled, and lightning crashed far off in the sky. Rain brought back frightening memories, so Link tried to ignore it. Suddenly the gravestone exploded. Link's sword was immediately in his hand. The stone was gone, revealing a deep, dark hole below where it had been. Mist rose from the hole, as if it hadn't been opened for years. And it probably hadn't. Link took a step forward, and then hesitated. He was about to enter the tomb of the Sheikah. Who had fallen into darkness. But what darkness was it? Did they mean death? Was death considered darkness? When the gatekeeper spoke of death, he seemed to have a positive opinion about it. He had said something about the dead no longer playing a part in the world of man. Something about them going to paradise. But he had also said that they could fall. Link banished all thoughts of this, and jumped down the hole.

Darkness enveloped him as he fell. He couldn't see anything until he landed on the cold dirt ground at the bottom. Link slowly examined his surroundings. It was pitch black down their, with the only light coming from the hole above him. Link felt the stone ground below him. It appeared that he was in some sort of tomb.

"Navi," Link said, "light up the room."

Navi immediately began glowing brighter and brighter, until her light illuminated the room. Link saw that the walls, floor, and ceiling of the room were made of stone, and coffins were positioned everywhere around him. Link walked to the side of one, and placed his hands on the side of the lid.

"Careful Link," Navi said. "Remember the carving. It has been my experience that it is not wise to disturb ancient powers of darkness."

"Ancient powers of darkness?" Link said. "These were the Shekiah. Protectors of the Royal Family."

"Remember the inscription on the gravestone. 'Now fallen into darkness,' it read."

Link immediately shoved the large stone lid off of the ancient casket. It crashed to the ground beside the coffin with a resounding thud. Dust rose from inside the coffin, and Link finally amassed the courage to look into the ancient cell. What he saw surprised him. There were no remains!

"What the heck," Link said in surprise.

"Link... I'm not sure that was such a wise decision."

"Everything is foolish in your terms," Link said sarcastically. "Lets see. Maybe we'll find your Lord of Light in here."

"Did it ever occur to you that we might find something like what we uncovered seven years ago?"

Link stopped.

"Help me get the lid back on the casket," Link said to his fairy.

"Its too late," Navi said. "The lid is way too heavy."

Link stopped, and began rebuking his sudden fear.

"I need to open another one. I need to see what is in the others."

"Don't Link," Navi said. "Don't make the situation worse. I'm getting frightened."

Link groaned as he pushed another stone lid off of a second coffin. It landed with a resounding crash on the floor. Link looked inside that one. What he saw frightened him. There was a skull, but a large hole had been cut through the face of it. The jaw bone was open, fused permanently in its position. The only other bones which were there were those of one hand. And they were all split apart in pieces, as if some mighty jaw had chewed them up and spit them back out.

"What happened to these people?" Link said in awe.

"Something evil," Navi said. "'Protectors of the Royal Family. Now fallen into darkness...' What does that mean?"

"I do not want to meet the one who caused the deaths of all these men and women," Link said. "Navi, what can you tell me about the Sheikah?"

"They were a tribe of warriors which lived in this area before Kakariko village was built. Around that time Hyrule was at war with a nation known as Kardonia. It turned out that the Sheikah tribe was also fighting with Kardonia. But there was little the small tribe could do against the powerful nation of Kardonia. So the Sheikah tribe and the nation of Hyrule formed an alliance, and defeated Kardonia. The Shekiah tribe was so grateful to Hyrule for the help, that they swore to protect the Monarchy of Hyrule. Soon the Sheikah tribe had been annexed into Hyrule, and Kakariko village was built as a permanent home of the Sheikah and their descendants. The people that live their now are mostly descendants of the Sheikah tribe, for it is now all but gone. No one knows what happened to them, the Sheikah. They just... disappeared. And then this gravestone appeared."  
"That is not comforting at all," Link said as he looked down at the mutilated face of the Sheikah. "Say, didn't Sheik say that he was the last surviving Sheikah?"

"Something like that," Navi said. "But I think other Sheikah are still alive."

"Then where are they?" Link asked.

"I don't know."

Link walked to a third coffin, and pushed the lid off. In this one, he only found a leg bone. He then opened a fourth casket, and found nothing inside.

"I think you should stop opening the coffins," Navi said. "There must be a reason why these coffins are closed when no body is inside."

"According to you and the Gatekeeper," Link said, "the dead no longer play a part in the world of the living. I was the one who believed differently. Now you are supporting my beliefs on this."

"And what beliefs are those?" Navi asked.

"That there is no Lord of Light. Poes and Redeads are reanimated dead. They are bound to Ganondorf when they die."

"But that would mean that when you die, then you will automatically will be turned into a servant of Ganondorf."

Link stopped at this, realizing the truth in Navi's words, but he just cast them aside.

"The truth hurts," Link said.

"But if they are reanimated dead, then doesn't that compromise your disbelief in souls?"

"Yes," Link said honestly. "I guess that belief was wrong from the beginning."

Navi was surprised, and even a little happy at this. For the first time Link, the major skeptic, had admitted his beliefs to be wrong.

"But the important thing is that they can be stopped," Link said, holding up the bottle which he had trapped the Poe in.

"You didn't destroy it," Navi said.

"It ain't going nowhere," Link said.

"But you can't just go around trapping every Poe you see. I mean, you don't have enough empty bottles."

"Then I'll trap them in the same bottle," Link said.

"Link!" Navi suddenly exclaimed.

"What is it," Link said annoyed, before he heard something cackle ominously from behind him.

Link turned. What he saw took his breath away. At the far end of the room, behind all the coffins stood some sort of altar. It was black, with pink roses sprinkled over top of it. A silver cup rested in the center of it. But the thing which stood out the most were the two Poes floating to the right and left of the altar.

"Oh crap!" Link said, and drew his sword.

The Poes giggled evilly, before holding forth their torches laden with black flame. Then they charged. Link fell to the floor, and they shot overhead. But one managed to toss down a small amount of flame upon the Hero of Time. Link shrieked as his flesh was burned by the vicious fury of the undead, or demons, whichever they were. Link then leaped back up to his feet to face the Poes. Link cried out, before charging towards them. Link swung the Master Sword around, cutting through one of the Poes, but the other shot away. The Poe which had been struck shrieked before dissolving in a cloud of blue fire. Soon the Poe Spirit was floating right where the Poe's flesh had been destroyed.

"Quick Link!" Navi shouted, "trap the Poe spirit in the bottle!"

Link reached into his pocket for the bottle. But the other Poe drew some sort of glowing yellow sword, and slashed Link in the side with it. Link cried out, and swung his sword at his enemy. The blades clashed. Steel against paranormal energy. Link looked up into the eyes of his enemy. They were dark, evil, and filled with hate. But Link saw something surprisingly familiar about them. They had a look in them, which reminded him of fairy eyes. Except they had been poisoned.

Link swung his sword around, but the Poe caught the blade against its own. The Poe then whipped its torch into Link's chest. Link screamed as hot coals from the strange black flame flew out and bored holes through his shirt before burning his flesh. The Poe then stabbed its blade into Link's stomach. Link all of a sudden was silent. He looked down at the blade protruding from his stomach, and fell to the ground without a word.

The Poe growled in satisfaction as Link slumped over on the ground. The sword was stuck deep within him. But it was not embedded in his body. It was embedded in his soul. Yes. The Poe had hooked his spirit. There was no wound on Link's body, and no blood poured from where the blade had entered his stomach. But his spirit was in peril. Link's soul hovered parallel to his body in the Spirit world, and right next to it stood a creature to dark to be described. It had caught Link's spirit with it's large yellow hook, and was drying to bring him in. But Link's spirit fought against it, holding tightly to Link's body. Back in the physical world, the Poe slowly drew its blade back, pulling at Link's soul. Link's body thrashed on the ground in somewhat of a seizure as his soul tried its best to hold on, but it was weak compared to the mighty Poe.

Suddenly a bright ball of light collided with the Poe, knocking it back through the cavern away from the fallen hero of time. But its sword remained embedded in Link's soul. The Poe lifted back up from the ground, and began charging towards Link again. But right before it reached him, Navi flew in front of it, barring its passage. The Poe shrieked in supernatural fury, and backed away from the fairy. Then its fear of the fairy left it, and it began to snarl.

"Lord of Light," Navi whispered. "Please give me strength."

Something struck through the Poe as these words left Navi's mouth. The Poe's eyes flared, and it screamed in agony. _She was calling upon the Lord of Light!_ The Poe then charged the fairy while screeching in terror. But the fairy began to glow even brighter than before. It seemed that her energy had now multiplied ten fold. The Poe came barreling towards her, like a large bundle of hate, supernatural energy, and desire all rolled into one bundle. The Poe swung its torch towards Navi. It collided with her, and the black ethereal flame consumed her. The Poe laughed as the fairy screamed as her perfect bluish white soul was consumed by fire.

At least, that's what the Poe wanted to happen. The Poe swung its demonic torch towards its enemy, hoping to burn her away with the fire of darkness. But Navi caught the torch against her small hand, and pushed it away from her. The Poe's eyes widened as it looked at its torch, and realized that it had been put out. The Poe screamed like the undead, and swung the unlit torch at Navi. But Navi held out her hand, which shone with the glory of light, and caught the unholy lantern again. Navi then pushed the lantern away from herself, and the Poe resisted. The creature was amazed. How could this tiny fairy have so much strength?

"Nio cay entrana. Nu hera thorda," Navi said quietly.

The Poe shrieked, and backed off from the fairy.

"Nio cay entrana! Nu hera thorda!" Navi commanded the Poe.

The Poe dropped its torch, and moved backwards, away from the fairy.

"Nio cay entrana! Nu hera thorda!" Navi said louder than before.

The Dark Spirit suddenly was shackled and bound with bright white chains. Chains which shone brighter than the sun. The Poe screamed as it watched the shackles close upon its demonic hands, and the chain wrap around its accursed body.

"Go now!" Navi shouted. "Away from this world! And never return."

Suddenly a fury took hold of the Poe, and it thrashed and fought to free itself from the chains. But the chains held fast. Then the Poe was encircled in a ball of light, and it disappeared.

Navi sighed, and brushed imaginary dust off of her arms. She then looked over at the body of the one she had guarded for so long. The Poe's blade was still hooked in Link's soul, awaiting its master to return, and remove Link's soul. Navi began flying over to Link. Suddenly the fairy felt a dark presence. She looked around the room, searching for whatever enemy awaited her.

Then a Poe appeared right next to Link. Navi almost shrieked. She had forgotten about the first Poe which Link had been unable to trap in a bottle. Now it had returned, reunited with its flesh. It put a cold hand around the yellow rod which the second Poe had plunged into Link's soul. Navi's jaw dropped as she realized what the Poe was going to do. It was going to finish the job. The Poe tugged hard on the blade, sending a convulsion through Link's body, and Navi charged. The Poe saw this, and pulled harder with the blade. Link's soul was almost off of his body. The Poe pulled harder. Link's soul only held on by a thread. The bonds between the spirit and the body were straining. The Poe yanked the blade as hard as it could. Link's body shuddered, and his eyes flashed open. His mouth opened, and he screamed. The Poe drew the blade back all the way, and Link's eyes closed, and his body fell to the ground like a corpse. Then Navi struck.

She shot in, and slapped the Poe as hard as she could. The Poe staggered backwards, trying to clear the dizziness out of its head. Navi then held her hand out, and a stream of bright light shone out upon the Poe. It screeched and writhed under the bright light. The Poe then swung its torch at Navi. Navi dodged to the side, and then tossed three rings of energy into the Poe's face. The ring's seemed to electrocute the Poe, sending streams of energy through it's body.

The Poe then shot a beam of black flame into Navi, knocking her back. Navi cried out as the fire burned her flesh, cutting into her soul. Something black was awoken inside of her, and it took all the small fairy had to push it back. Navi flew back to the Poe, and slammed into it. The Poe tumbled over, and stumbled through the air, disoriented. Navi then pulled her hand back before stabbing it into her enemie's chest. The Poe shrieked as Navi's hand, now surrounded by glowing white energy, pierced through its black hide and cut into it's soul. The Poe began to dissolve in a blue fire which surrounded its body, burning away its decayed flesh. Then with a flash, it was gone. In its place appeared the same purple fire of the Poe's spirit.

"Leave this world," Navi said to the Poe's soul. "With the power of the Lord of Light, I banish you from this world."

The purple fire disappeared. Navi then flew over to the body of Link. He lay still, with no visible movement. Navi touched his skin. It was cold and clammy. But the sword hadn't been yanked out of him, so their was still hope that perhaps the Poe's had not managed to tear his soul from his body. Navi touched the blade gently, and a shock of evil energy shot through her hand. Navi drew her hand back. There was no way she could remove the blade. Navi fluttered over to Link's head, and touched his forehead gently.

"Link," she said softly.

His flesh felt cold, and wet with perspiration. But Navi could feel that their was a soul in their still. Somehow, through it all, the bonds between his soul and his body had remained intact. Navi closed her eyes, and channeled all of her energy into Link. Healing energy coursed through his body, mending the scars in his spirit, and carrying it back into the body. Navi opened her eyes.

"Did it work?" she said.

Link groaned, and moved his head to the side.

_**What do you guys and gals think's going on? Suggestions are very welcome. What do you guy's think should happen later on in the story, and at the end? Farewell. And please leave reviews, that mean's all of you.**_


	4. Chapter 4 Sheikah Witch

**Chapter 4 Sheikah Witch**

_**Hey everybody. Hows it going on? Come on people, I only so far got one reviewer who has reviewed for all three chapters, and more than just that person have read this story, so why didn't you guys leave some nice reviews? C'mon, be nice. Okay, so Ri2 is my only reviewer, so this chapter is dedicated to Ri2. All hail Ri2. Noble reviewer of this story. And Ri2, several of your questions will be answered in this one.  
**_

It took a while for it to happen. Perhaps ten minutes. But finally, Link groaned for a final time, and opened his eyes. Navi bounced up and down in the air with glee.

"You're awake!" she said excitedly. "I was so worried!"

"What happened?" Link mumbled.

He then looked down, and saw with horror that the yellow blade was still protruding out of his stomach.

"Holy crap!" Link tried to leap up to his feet, but tumbled back down in a heap when a pain shot through his stomach.

"This is one of the thing's that I tried to warn you about," Navi said. "Don't you remember fighting the Poes?"

"I think I do," Link said. "I remember that I killed one, and the other one slashed me with its torch and... and then... chaos. That's all I remember."

"What do you mean by chaos?"

"It felt like something was tearing at me, trying to pull me away from something that I didn't want to lose. And then, all of a sudden, I awoke here."

"The second Poe stabbed you through the stomach with that," Navi gestured at the yellow blade which jutted out from Link's stomach.

"Is it some kind of weapon?" Link asked. "If it is, then why doesn't blood pour out from the wound?"

"This weapon does not attack the body," Navi said. "It attacks the soul. You have been hooked by a Hergon blade. In the tongue of fairies and Poes Hergon means certain death. It was lucky enough that I was able to fight the Poes off before they could use it properly. This blade was designed to hook into the souls of a Poe's victim. Then all the Poe must do is pull the blade out, along with the soul, and the person will be dead. It's like fishing, except with a much deadlier hook. Once the bond's between your body and your spirit are severed, then you will be completely dead. No hospital or medic will ever be able to help you ever again."

"Or any fairy," Link said. "Can't you take this out of me Navi?"

Navi sighed, and shook her head.

"This is beyond my skill to heal. The blade is lodged fast, and I cannot even touch it without hurting myself. It is tainted with evil."

"But you're a fairy!" Link said. "Don't you have special powers?"

"My power's are those endowed by the Lord of Light."

"Oh right," Link said sarcastically. "Tell me, is this Lord of Light some kind of King of Fairies?"

"I guess you could say that," Navi said. "But he is King of more than just the fairies."

"Wait. What happened to the Poes?"

"I banished them from this world," Navi said.

"You what? You can fight? Why didn't you tell me before! You could have been more help when we were fighting Volvagia."

"He is a physical being," Navi said. "There is little I can do against them. But Poes, and other spiritual beings that are not on the side I am on, are against me. And I can, and will fight them."

"Then why didn't you fight them when we were out in Hyrule Field?"

"Because there were too many of them. When they are together like that, even I cannot withstand their power. And they would not attack me, unless I attacked them. So in order to prevent myself from being taken by the power's of darkness, I did not fight them."

"How can I get this blade out of me," Link said, gesturing at the Hergon blade. "It's burning me."

"Only the Lord of Light can remove it," Navi said. "You will have to come to terms with the Lord of Light before you can get it removed."

"Dangit!" Link shouted. "There has to be a way to get it out!"

He could feel the sword hooked in his stomach. He could feel it like a hot metal pike sticking into him. He could feel it like he felt when his heart began to burn in fury or in pain. He could feel it when he felt he had been hurt one to many times.

Link then turned and looked over at the altar.

"What's that anyways?" Link asked.

"I think it's an altar to Ganon," Navi said.

"Do you mean Ganondorf?" Link said, annoyed.

"No I mean Ganon," Navi said. "Ganon the dark creature. Ganon the demon from far away. Ganon has come to Hyrule and manifested itself as Ganondorf, the King of the Gerudo's. You know a male Gerudo is only born every five hundred years. Ganondorf was born prematurely. Only three hundred years had passed."

"Oh," Link said. "I gotta go see if I can get this thing removed. But first, let's get out of this tomb."

Link forgot to consider the fact that there was an altar to Ganon in the middle of the tomb of the Sheikah, of all people. The Sheikah who had saved the King of Hyrule in the Torenian wars. The warrior's who had stopped the kidnappers of Princess Zelda when she was a child. And as such, her guardian was one of them. One of the Sheikah. Impa, who was well respected and loved in Hyrule Castle.

Link used his hookshot to pull himself out of the grave, and Navi just flew out. But immediately after they were out, the gravestone reappeared over the hole, as if it had never disappeared. Link wondered if perhaps the coffins had been shut again as well.

"Navi," Link said. "Tell me truthfully. Isn't there a way to get this sword out of me?"

"Not without the Lord of Light," Navi said.

"I don't believe in no dang Lord of Light," Link said furiously. "I don't believe in anything but what I can see and touch."

"There is a way to remove it."

Link and Navi both jumped as they heard the strange voice. They both turned, and saw a cloaked figure walking towards them. The strange person had her hood pulled up over her head, hiding her face from view. Her voice sounded like that of an old person, but she walked down the pathway through the graveyard with ease.

"Through the blue fire of Yenarame you will be freed from it's grip," she said. "All I must do is touch your forehead, and you will be healed."

The strange old lady came closer and closer, with her hand outstretched.

"Link," Navi said. "Is this such a good idea?"

"She says she can heal me," Link said. "I'll take this blue fire of Yenarame if it will heal me."

The lady was closer.

"One thing bother's me," Navi said.

"What's that," Link said angrily. "Your Lord of Light ain't a part of this? C'mon Navi! I can't possibly believe that just because something doesn't have your Lord of Light means that it isn't good!"

"All power's that do not come from the Lord of Light come from one other source, and that is Ganon."

"Sure Navi," Link said. "Right. That's so old age. That was the past, this is the present. We are no longer bound to stupid laws like that."

"Call them stupid if you want," Navi said, "but that still doesn't change the fact that the Yenarame means eternal slavery in Fairy and Poe tongue."

"What?" Link said, turning to his fairy.

Suddenly a figure charged into the Graveyard, right up to the old cloaked woman, who was now reaching out towards Link's face. The old lady whirled around, and tossed off her cloak. The other man stopped right before her, and looked her in the eye. It was the Gatekeeper. But the old lady didn't look so old anymore. In fact, she looked rather young, considering she was middle aged. Her hair was silver colored, and her eyes looked similar to those of Impa. Her hair was cut short, in a small poney tail.

"Enja," the Gatekeeper said seriously. "How many times have I warned you about the spell of Yenarame? It is of darkness, not of light. It holds a power that you do not understand. Time after time I have warned you, but you refuse to listen to me. This is the last straw. Leave this village, and don't come back until you have given up your evil ways, and stopped your practice in the dark arts."

"Why should I listen to you Gatekeeper?" the girl said. "After all, you are just an old man who opens the gate every morning and every night. What do you know about magic?"

"More than you know," the Gatekeeper said, "that's for sure."

"Fine then!" the lady challenged. "Show me how great your Lord of Light is. Show me his powers! Throw yourself off of the top of Death Mountain, and the Lord of Light will save you, right? If he is so great, then let him show his greatness."

"I will not tempt him," the Gatekeeper said. "I will not waste his power on some trivial matter. You know that. Now, out!"

The lady, whose name obviously was Enja walked over towards the exit, as if obeying the Gatekeeper's commands. The Gatekeeper turned to follow her. Then, a pain shot through Link's stomach through the Hergon blade, and he fell to the ground and moaned. As soon as he moaned, a dark presence came upon Enja, and her eyes took on a look of pure evil. The Gatekeeper fell to the ground, and a bolt of black flame shot over him. Enja drew her hand around, and fired another blast at the Gatekeeper, who rolled to the side to escape it's wrath. Enja then shot another blast towards the Gatekeeper, and both Link and Navi knew that he could not dodge this one. The Gatekeeper just held his hand up as if somehow that could keep the black flame away from his face. Enja cried out in bloodlust as the fire consumed the Gatekeeper. The fire grew stronger, thicker, and mightier, scorching through the air and grass. Enja laughed, and increased the power. The Gatekeeper was gone, lost from sight as the fire cascaded into him.

Link was lost for words. So far, one of the only people who had been nice to him since he had traveled seven years into the future had just been incinerated. As much as Link disagreed with this man, he still felt badly as he watched him burn. Navi seemed even more shocked than Link. Enja then dropped her hands, and the fire diminished. But imagine her surprise when she saw the Gatekeeper sitting on the ground, unharmed by the flames. He was still holding his hand up, and from it a shining shield of white light had formed around him.

"The Lord of Light has spared me from your flames," the Gatekeeper said as he stood back up, the white shield still encircling him.

He then began walking towards Enja.

"Poe, spirit of darkness," he said, "I command you in the name of the Lord of Light to leave this girl and never return to her."

Enja shuddered, and backed away.

"What's he doing?" Link asked.

"Shhh," Navi said. "He's facing down the Poe which is in that girl."

"What?"

"You take those who wallow in the mud," the Gatekeeper said, his face filled with righteous indignation. "You rule over those who have fallen out. You persecute those who have no hope. But now your days of terror are done. Too long have you had a grip on our world, forcing people to do as you wish. Forcing people to help the powers of evil. But now that has all come to an end!"

The Gatekeeper came closer. Enja picked up a rock from the ground, and chucked it at the Gatekeeper. He moved his head to the side, and it shot past his ear.

"In the name of the Lord of Light I rebuke you!" the Gatekeeper shouted. "Go back to the darkness from which you turned against the world. Leave this world, and never return. Nio cay entrana."

Enja shrieked.

"Nu hera thorda," the Gatekeeper said. "I send you back! Back to your dark world!"

"If I go," Enja said, in a deep, raspy voice that did not belong to her, "Enja will die!"

"You will not kill her!" the Gatekeeper shouted, pointing towards Enja, "you will never kill any one again. Now! Begone! Before I call upon the Lord of Light to let his wrath fall upon you!"

Enja shrieked, and fell to the ground. Her body then began to shake, as if in a seizure. Then, with a final shudder, she lay still. The Gatekeeper ran to her side, and placed his hand against her neck.

"Is she dead?" Link asked.

"No," the Gatekeeper replied. "She is more alive than she was five minutes ago. She has been freed. But now she must decide what she will do with her freedom."

Enja groaned, and opened her eyes.

"What..."

"I have freed you from the Poe that had taken you," the Gatekeeper said. "You are now free."

"You took away him?" Enja said, outraged. "You took away my guardian! He gave me divine power! He taught me the ways of peace!"

"He taught you the ways of evil, cleverly disguised as the ways of good," the Gatekeeper said. "A Poe does not work for the good of man."

"You lie!" Enja snapped. "He was not a Poe!"

With that, she leapt to her feet, and punched the Gatekeeper lightly in the shoulder. Then her eyes widened as if she had expected him to falter, and fall to the ground in pain and agony. But the Gatekeeper did not move.

"My powers..."

"Gone," the Gatekeeper said. "Black sorcery disappears with its source. You are no longer a way for the Poe to channel his dark energies."

Enja shouted, and smacked the Gatekeeper on his right cheek. She then struck him on the left cheek. The Gatekeeper just took all this in stride, without moving, or attempting to stop her.

"If you knew the truth you would thank me," the Gatekeeper said, wincing under her blows.

Enja stopped, and ran towards the exit of the graveyard. A dark shadow stepped out from behind a gravestone, and followed after her. The Gatekeeper immediately raised his hand into the air, and a beam of bright light shot out of it, and struck the shadow. The shadow moaned, and dissolved in a fury of blue fire. Enja turned around, and gasped when she saw the bolt of bright light dissolve the Poe. Then the Poe's remains disappeared, and its spirit appeared in its place. Enja turned, and ran as fast as she could for the exit.

Link didn't know what to think of all this. Now he wasn't sure that he could trust this Gatekeeper any more. He had just cast away this girl's guardian, or whatever it was.

"What was that shadow," Link asked.

"A 'guardian' as she would say," the Gatekeeper said. "It was a Poe. It wanted to take her now that I had removed her old Poe."

"I thought she said it was a guardian."

"She thinks that it was a guardian."

"Who was that girl?" Navi asked.

"One of the last remaining members of the Sheikah," the Gatekeeper said.

"But I thought the Sheikah were good?" Link said.

"Did you read the gravestone?"

"Yes."

"Note that it said: "now fallen into darkness..." The Sheikah were once a great and wonderful people. But in the later years, they began delving into black sorcery, and witchcraft. They opened the door to the Poes and the dark forces of Ganon. That is how they first entered our village. It was because of the Sheikah. The King warned his guardians to cease their witchcraft and devilry, but they did not listen."

"What happened to them? I entered their tomb, and the bodies were far from intact."

"They subjected themselves to the powers of Ganon, and that power consumed them. And then it destroyed them. I don't know what will happen to Enja. She will most likely leave the village, and wander Hyrule. Unless she turns from the ways of Ganon, he will find her and he will take her."

The Gatekeeper then noticed the yellow blade extending out from Link's stomach.

"Oh no," he said in terror as he saw the blade. "This is not good. You shouldn't have come out here Link. The Poe's are attracted to this place because it is a place of death. The Poe's sometimes feed off of the corpses."

"Is that why the Sheikah bones were the way they were."

"What were they like?" the Gatekeeper asked. "I have never been down there."

"In some coffins there were no bones. In others there were only a few, and they were most often broken in pieces."

"No," the Gatekeeper replied. "Poe's feed off of the flesh, not the bones. They would never damage a skeleton. But the point is not what the Poe's do to the dead. The point is that you have a Hergon in your stomach. Do you know what that means?"

"Yeah yeah," Link said. "I heard enough about it from the fairy."

"Your fairy told you?" the Gatekeeper said, emphasizing the your. "This can't be healed by anyone but the Lord of Light."

"Then tell that idiot to get down here," Link said impatiently. "I haven't got all day. When is he gonna heal me?"

"You expect too much of others, Hero of Time," the Gatekeeper said. "You automatically expect that the Lord of Light should heal you, and you haven't even asked him too. When people are dying, and someone heals them, do they complain about how long it took for the person to heal them? No. They thank their healer profusely, and are very nice to them."

Link just turned for the exit.

"I gotta get out of this dang town!" he said. "All this Lord of Light crap makes me sick. You guy's ought to grow up and stop believing these children's stories. Especially you," he pointed at the Gatekeeper. "Imagine, a middle aged man believing in a mighty guy in the sky who will help him out in times of trouble."

"Then explain the Triforce," the Gatekeeper said softly. "Explain how it came into being."

"Well, the Princess told me a story back when I was a child," Link began. "She said that the Triforce was born at the beginning of time. It was forged as a test for the world. Would they embrace good, or evil. If they chose to follow evil, then the Triforce would be taken by the Dark Lord."

"The Dark Lord is Ganon," the Gatekeeper said.

"Right. Anyways, the world would then be plunged into darkness. Monster's would overrun the earth, and Ganon would take the throne."

"But there is something else in the legend," the Gatekeepers said with a smile. "The Triforce was created by the Lord of Light. For he knew that man would not follow him. He knew that in our desire for power, and our greed we would turn against him. Then he would allow his enemy, Ganon, to take the throne. But he left hope for the world of man. It is said that behind the doors of the Temple of Time exists the weapon which has the potential to strike down Ganon. One man will wield it, and in the name of the Lord of Light, he will seal away the darkness which took the land."

"Well that sure as heck ain't gonna be me," Link said with a huff. "I don't believe in the Lord of Light."

"That's what I'm worried about," the Gatekeeper said. "You hold the master sword, and you do not believe in the Lord of Light. So then who will strike down Ganondorf?"

"I will," Link said. "Without the help of your dang Lord of Light."

"You will never make it into Ganondorf's castle with that sword in your stomach," the Gatekeeper said. "Ganon is stronger than his Poe servants. He could yank your soul from your body with one mighty pull."

"Then I will remove it," Link said.

With that, he turned, and walked towards the exit.

"Where are you going Link?" Navi asked.

"Lon Lon Ranch," Link replied.

Navi flew after him. The Gatekeeper just stood there, watching the two of them go. He sighed heavily, and smiled. Link did not believe in the Lord of Light. But he carried the Master Sword, so there still was hope for him. There still was hope.

"Bless you Link, Hero of Time," the Gatekeeper said quietly to himself. "May you find welcoming arms away from harm. And bless you Navi. In the name of the Lord of Light, keep him always safe."

Now that Navi was gone, Poes began to come up from the gravestones to watch the two of them leave. Their cold, lifeless eyes watched them with a longing for a better life. A desire for acceptance, and a desire for pleasure. But bound they were, now that they had sold themselves away. And they would not turn from there ways. The Gatekeeper turned and glared at all of them. The Poes shrunk back out into the shadows again, not wishing to look upon the Gatekeeper.

_**Had to make my own Triforce legend. Sorry to those of you who preferred the original, but I'm not a big fan of the whole three Goddess legendy (not very interesting) and it was necessary for this story for me to change it. So whatcha guys think? Good eh? Bad eh? Suggestions? So now Link's got a hook in his soul, and he just saw a Sheikah that is supposedly bad, and Link is now beginning to wonder if he can really trust this gatekeeper guy. Yeah, what do you guys think about the Gatekeeper. Can he be trusted? And did you all like the whole "Poe takes control of person" thingy? Got idea for some of that part from LOTR The Two Towers when Saruman takes control of Theoden. Now inspirational quote from "Young Frankenstein", and I'm outa here.**_

_**Dr. Frankenstei: "Igor, would you mind telling me whose brain I put in?"**_

_**Igor: "And you won't be angry?" **_

_**Dr. Frankenstei: "I will NOT be angry."**_

_**Igor: "Abby someone."**_

_**Dr. Frankenstein: "Abbey someone. Abby who?" **_

_**Igor: "Abby Normal."**_

_**Dr. Frankenstein: "Abby Normal?"**_

_**Igor: "I'm almost sure that was the name."**_

_**Dr. Frankenstein: "Are you saying that I put an abnormal brain into a seven and a half foot long, fifty four inch wide GORILLA? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME?" **_


	5. Chapter 5 Ghost Rising

**Chapter 5 Ghost Rising**

_**Ri2 is a very wise man. Yes, I am a Christian, and I have based many of my ideas off of Christianity and such. In fact, many parts of this story are what you could call a Christian Allegory I suppose. I wrote this in hopes that it would clearly show what Christianity really is like, while also being a fun, action packed story which not only Christians could enjoy. So don't stop reading because you now know all this, because you don't have to think of this as a Christian story if you don't want to. You don't even have to think of the Lord of Light as God.**_

_**Well enough of that, well this chapter is a little more lighthearted at the beginning than this story has been so far. I know many of you will not like this, for many of you like dark types of stories (myself included) but it gets really dark at the end, and I think the beginning helps lighten up the mood. I got several ideas for the beginning from a zelda fanart/comic. So I must give credit to the author here, for that person gave me the good idea to write the scene. I can't write in the link, but it is called "Link & Malon" and it is by the artist called Yuina. Look up Yuina Link & Malon on google search. It is on fanartcentral. Look at the webaddress. Then scroll down the list of fanarts until you see "Link & Malon." Look at it either before or after reading the lighthearted beginning of this story. Sorry for the long authors note. And thanks to all the new reviewers. Please review again on this one.**_

Link was once again a rider, but this time he rode through the open plains of Hyrule field under the sun. It was amazing how Kakariko village could be so dark, while the rest of Hyrule was so light. Link had searched for Sheik, and failed to find him. He had no idea where to go next. The Water, Fire, and Forest Temples were well behind him, but he knew that two more medallions remained. But for now, Link needed someone to get the Hergon blade out of his gut. Perhaps Malon could help. She had, after all, managed to help him in the past.

"Link," Navi said, breaking the silence. "After you saved the Ranch, did you ever find out what happened to Talon?"

"Malon said that he had left the farm after Ingo took it over," Link said. "I don't know what happened to him."

Link smiled as he thought back to the memories of Lon Lon Ranch. His mind faded away as he basked in the memories. Memories of a time before the terror. Before the days when it stalked him. His mind traveled back, seven years into the past. The glory days.

* * *

"I'm so glad you came to visit Fairyboy," young Malon said to Link as the two of them walked out in the horse pasture.

She was dressed in a clean white dress, and farm boots which clomped along on the dirt and grass of the pasture. She half skipped along, humming a tune which Link had heard her singing many times.

"Daddy was so upset about falling asleep," Malon giggled. "He wouldn't stop apologizing!"

Link chuckled at this, but didn't say anything. He just followed Malon shyly. They were both young, both children. Neither of them understood romance, or the whole idea of marriage. Link, when asked, would say that he would never get married, and that the whole idea was icky. But in truth he knew that he did feel something for the opposite sex. He was attracted. Most young boys are; they just won't admit it.

Between Link and Malon, a sort of childhood love had formed, but never of them could admit it, or understand it. They were young and innocent. Unaware of how dark the world truly had turned. To Link, Malon sort of replaced the gap that had opened when he had left Saria behind. Saria and him had never been more than best friends, but she still was special to him. When he had awoken seven years in the future, he had been amazed at his new body. He had been amazed at the fact that he had become an adult. But he was horrified at what had happened to the world. He remembered crying when he saw Saria again when she was awoken as the forest sage. He had grown older, and she had not aged a day. They had always been childhood friends, promising each other that they would never grow up, and would live play together forever. But now Link felt like he had betrayed her by growing up.

But these memories pained Link. He preferred thinking about his memories of Malon. As a child he had never said much when he was around her. He never knew how to act around girls. Malon, on the other hand, always seemed comfortable talking to just about anyone. She was incredibly outgoing.

The two children walked through the pasture for a while, with Malon doing most of the talking, and Link doing most of the listening. Then Malon led Link into the barn.

"So fairyboy," Malon said, smiling at Link.

Link blushed, and looked away.

"Tell me, why did you decide to come visit me?"

Link looked down, trying not to look in Malon's eyes.

"Uh, I don't know... I just... I just..."

Malon giggled, and her smile broadened into a playful grin.

"Because you wanted to see me again?" she asked, twirling her hair girlishly.

Link blushed, and looked away.

Malon laughed.

"You're cute," she said, causing further embarrassment for Link.

Malon then walked over towards the other side of the barn. Suddenly she tripped on a piece of wood, and fell in a heap on the ground. She let out a soft squeak as she fell, and Link ran to her side.

"Are you alright?" he said worriedly.

"I'm fine," Malon said, brushing her hair out of her face.

Link timidly held his small hand down to help Malon up. She smiled up at Link, and took his hand. Link's heart rate quickened. He was holding hands with Malon. He began to heat up, and he got distracted. Their hands stayed together, for Link had lost all sense as he savored the feeling of their hands touching.

"Uh Link," Malon said. "Aren't you going to help me up?"

Link suddenly realized his mistake, and he blushed deeply. Malon just giggled. Link then tried, rather unsuccessfully, to help Malon up. In his embarrassment, Link tried to pull Malon up quicker than necessary. He teetered precariously off balance, and then realized that he was going to fall down. Link tried to stabilize himself, but it was too late. He fell of balance, and went down, pulling Malon with him. Malon and Link tumbled to the ground, and rolled across the straw covered floor until they came to a halt. Link landed on top of Malon, putting both children in a very awkward position. Link immediately leapt off of her, while the she laughed at Link's mistake. Link blushed, and tried to hide his face while Malon continued laughing.

"That is by far not the best way to sweep a girl off of her feet," Malon said as she stood up. "But thanks for trying fairyboy, that was sweat."

Link's head shot up.

"Really?"

Malon smiled teasingly.

"Yes, you're a sweetie. Would you like me to give you a kiss for your pains?"

"Well um... er..." Link stuttered, looking at the ground.

In truth he did want her to give him a kiss. But he, just like all other young boys, was afraid to admit it.

"You do don't you," Malon said, smiling cutely.

Link's face turned bright red and Malon giggled. Malon then stopped, and smiled mischievously. She then put her hands behind her back, and leaned over towards Link. Link tried to step back, but the barn wall was behind him. Malon had him trapped. Malon leaned in close, until she was three inches away from his face. Link could feel his face heating up.

"Should I take your inability to speak as a yes?" she asked with a playful grin.

Link was back against the wall, standing on his toes as the shorter girl leaned in towards him. Link couldn't hold it in anymore. His eyes locked with hers. Malon stepped closer, her eyelashes almost tickling Link's face

"You certainly are a cutie," Malon said, before closing her eyes, and touching Link's lips gently with her own.

It was a small kiss. A short kiss. A child's kiss. It was in no ways erotic, or immoral in nature. It was sweat and innocent. But it meant everything to both of them. For there are too many examples these days of love which is not true, love which is no better than lust. For a person who lusts wants to receive something, while one who loves wishes to give.

Malon opened her eyes after gently kissing Link on the lips. Link opened his eyes, now feeling very relieved, and happy. He smiled shyly at the red haired girl, and Malon smiled right back.

"You know you are a good kisser," Malon said.

"What a surprise," Link said. "I've never kissed any other girl in my life."

Malon giggled before wrapping her arms around Link and hugging him tightly.

"I'm glad," she whispered in Link's ear as he put his arms around her.

* * *

"What is it Link?" Navi said, her voice jarring Link back to the present.

"What?" Link asked.

"You were staring off into space and smiling," Navi replied.

"Oh," Link said. "I was just uh... thinking about the past."

"I see," Navi said.

Link looked up into the sky again. It had now begun to cloud up. He sighed. Ever since Ganondorf had taken the world, he rarely had a chance to see the sun. Soon the sky was fully covered, and it became like night again. Epone trotted forward, her hooves falling heavily on the ground. Then Link saw a flash off in the distance. He sighed, and urged Epona forward. Thunder rumbled far away, and rain began to fall. Link pulled his hat over his head to keep the rain off, and beckoned Epona to go faster.

"Dangit!" Link complained. "I just get out of Kakariko village, and what? It starts raining! What a great day this has turned out to be."

Lightning flashed again, and in the distance Link could see the gates of Lon Lon Ranch.

"Hasn't changed much since my last visit," Link said. "I wonder what happened to Ingo?"

Lighting flashed again, as the rain streaked around the rider and his steed.

"Ride faster Epona," Link said.

He wanted to get to the Ranch before nightfall.

* * *

The clouds grew darker and darker, and the horse and the rider galloped away. At that moment, something happened in the remains of Hyrule Market. The dark, deserted square was filled with Redeads. Large, brown almost rotting bodies walking slowly through the darkened streets, raising their unearthly moans towards the clouds. Lost they were, with nothing left to do but wander, and take the life of anyone they found. They groaned as they stumbled around, hands groping for some form of fulfillment. Spirits gasping for a way to retain the glory that they had cast away.

Then, a flash of light erupted from one of the dark alleyways, causing the Redeads to turn their heads to see what was going on. Another flash of light shot out, and a ghostly figure materialized in the darkness. It was hazy, with features nearly impossible to make out. The ghost, or whatever its was, opened its cold soul like eyes, and stared out at the Redeads. Its legs faded out as they moved downwards, and the feet were invisible. It was wrapped in an ancient cloak which was torn and ripped in several places. The ghostly being took a step into the market. The Redeads stepped aside as it passed by them, not wishing to be a hindrance to it. The creature's face was cold, and solemn. Its ghostly hair was shaggy, and appeared to be blowing in a wind which did not exist. A wind that at least did not exist in this world. On its head rested a tall top hat, worn out with holes in it. By all appearances, it looked like the ghost of some street criminal.

It walked past the Redeads, regarding each with its cold stare. Its feet could not be seen, but the sound of old boots clicking against a cold stone ground could be heard. But the sound of its footsteps echoed, as if issuing from another world. And sometimes the sound seemed to come from a different part of the old square. The Redeads watched the figure walk out of the market.

* * *

The door to the dark building opened, letting a streak of light shine in. The old cloaked man behind the desk squinted his eyes in the dim light.

"Close the door behind you," he said in a crackling, almost evil voice. "Keep the light out."

The door closed, and darkness returned to the mysterious shop. The keeper was an short old man dressed in a tattered cloak with a hood pulled up so that only his nose was visible. The only light in the building issued from a candle which sat on the shopkeeper's desk. But the flame from the candle glowed purple, not orange.

"Welcome to Hyrule's Ghost Shop," the keeper said, looking into the darkness of his shop, trying to see the man who had just come in. "A great shop with lots of business in this day and age."

The man cackled horsely at this, and ended up coughing at the end of the laugh. His laugh sounded very much like that of a Poe. Above the man there was an old shelf with several old iron cages resting on it. They seemed almost enchanted as they sat there, and as the little flames of Poe souls flashed up inside each one.

"You come here with a rare ghost to sell to me?" the shopkeeper asked. "Or would you like to buy a spirit for yourself? I warn you, you best keep them in cages at all times. If they escape, you'll regret it."

The man laughed again, cackling like a Poe. His skin was pale, from his time spent in the darkness of his mystical shop, never leaving it. He was a strange old man, one of the only people who dared to live this close to Hyrule market.

"So what do you want?" he finally asked, gazing out into the darkness.

"Where are you?" he asked. "Come into the light."

He heard old boots clomping against the wood floor coming towards him. But the sound of the footfalls was eerie. Suddenly the shopkeeper gasped. A ghostly figure stepped into the light. Its ghostly white hair flashed around it as small ghostly drops of rain fell all around it, as it were a walking photograph of a man standing in the rain. The spirit stood six and a half feet tall, at least two and a half feet taller than the shopkeeper. Its cold eyes, grayish-white, without pupils, regarded the shopkeeper thoughtfully, almost as if deciding what it should do with the old man.

"Y-you," the old man stammered. "Y-your a... your a... a ghost!"

The man then chuckled nervously.

"Uh... what I said... about this sh-shop being a g-ghost shop... th-th-that was j-just a... just a j-joke..."

The spirit did not respond. It merely held its hand up to the cages full of Poe spirits. The small flame like souls began chirping and shrieking eerily as the ghostly hand reached out towards them, and the tiny spirits began moving towards the fronts of their cages.

"W-what are you d-doing?" the shopkeeper stuttered.

The spirit shot him a silencing glare, and then turned its attention back to the cages. Suddenly, its hand began to glow with bright yellow energy. The Poes in the cages began shrieking louder, and crowding around at the front of the cages. The ghostly figure's hand grew brighter and brighter, and the shopkeeper covered his eyes with his hands against the light. As the spirit's hands grew lighter, it seemed as if the air in the room grew darker, even while his hands grew lighter.

Then the spirit's hand seemed to be pulling at the Poe spirits in the cages. Slowly, the tops of the flames began stretching out through the bars towards the extended hand of the figure. Then, the Poes were sucked right through the bars of their cages, into the hand of the spirit. They all collected in a ball, swirling around in a multicolored aurora. The shopkeeper opened his eyes to see what was happening. The ball of Poes continued churning and roaring as the Poes all shrieked and screamed as they swirled around in the churning ball of fire. Then, the spirit closed his hand, and the ball of Poes seemed to channel into the closed hand.. Then, they were gone.

The ghostly figure dropped its hand to its side, and turned for the door. As it walked away, the shopkeeper realized what it had done.

"Hey!" he shouted. "You can't steel my Poes! Give them back!"

The ghostly figure turned, and fixed the old man with its empty eyes. Its hand opened, and several of the Poe spirits shot back out of it onto the wooden floor. The shopkeeper's eyes widened when he saw this.

"No!" he shouted, "take them! Take them! Don't set them free!"

The Poe spirits then rose up into the air, and took on their physical forms. They then turned towards the shopkeeper. The Poes charged. The old man screamed. And the spirit, standing at the entrance, began to laugh silently. Dark shadows of the Poes and the Shopkeeper struggling shot up behind the purple candle. The Poes raised their eerie cries as the man cried out in pain and agony. Then their was the sound of a sword being unsheathed, and then a loud scream. Then more struggling. Then their was silence. When the Poes had finished, they diminished back to their spiritual states. The ghostly figure opened his hand, and they flew to it again. The spirit then closed its hand, and they disappeared. With that, the ghostly figure turned for the exit, and walked right through the door. It left behind the corpse of the shopkeeper. His body lay crumpled on the ground, with no physical reasons for his death. But on the floor next to him lay a yellow energy blade. But that soon disappeared.

The ghostly figure walked out across the broken drawbridge of the old castle into Hyrule Field. The spirit turned its attention towards Kakariko village, and began walking in that direction. Then, it disappeared from sight. And all that was left was the sound of the rain.

_**Poor Ghost shop person. But dang! I am happy I was able to write that scene. Did you like that? What do you guys think this spirit/ghost guy is? And why did he take the Poes? Alright, see you Gentlemen and Ladies later.**_


	6. Chapter 6 Wrath of the Hergon Blade

**Chapter 6 Wrath of the Hergon Blade**

_**Hey everybody. Howsit going? I am very happy with this chapter, and I hope you all are as well. Cause this one gets really cool in my opinion. Ri2, glad to see you will still read this story, because it has never been my intent to drive people away from my story for the soul reason that I tossed ina few theological elements.**_

The Gatekeeper looked out through the darkened fields of Hyrule. Through the pouring rain and the darkened sky, he could barely make out anything. But then he felt a dark presence around him. He turned this way and that, looking for a hidden enemy. But he saw no one. The feeling then passed, and the Gatekeeper relaxed. He failed, however, to see the Ghostly figure which appeared behind him, smirked, and then disappeared again.

* * *

"That's it," Link said, looking up at the gates of Lon Lon Ranch. 

"Yeah," Navi said. "Are we going to go in?"

"Not yet," Link said, "give me a second."

"Why?" Navi teased. "Preparing a pickup line?"

"No," Link said. "Please stop talking, it hurts me to talk."

"Why would it..." Navi stopped, when she saw Link's chest heaving up and down heavily, the blade crackling dangerously.

"Oh," Navi said, worriedly.

The rain had stopped, but the sky was still dark. Link thought about Malon. Over the seven years she had matured into a very attractive young women. She was even sexier than before, Link thought to himself. Then a sharp pain shot through Link's stomach.

"Ugh," Link grunted, placing a hand right above the weapon.

"What just happened?" Navi asked, with motherly concern.

"The blade..."

"What were you thinking about?"

"That's none of your business," Link said.

"Usually pain from a Hergon blade will increase if one allows more evil into himself. You were thinking about something bad, weren't you?"

"No," Link said, quite sure of his answer. "I was thinking about Malon."

"That doesn't sound evil to me," Navi said with a small chuckle.

Link grunted again, and whipped the reigns.

"I don't feel so good," he said, still holding his hand against his stomach.

"We'd better get you into the Ranch before you collapse," Navi said.

"Collapse?" Link suddenly said? "Why would I... Augh!"

"Ride Epona," Navi said, and the horse obeyed.

* * *

The tomb of the Sheikah was now closed up. Nothing could be seen inside of it, not even the lustrous fractured bones in the now open caskets. But suddenly, a faint gray light floated down through the roof of the tomb, straight through the dirt. The light extended to form a ghostly figure. The spirit looked down into the coffins, seeing that they were torn open. It then looked over at the altar to Ganon. Its whitish gray eyes flashed as it saw the altar, and it bowed slightly. Then, it rose back through the roof of the tomb.

* * *

The Potion shop on the far end of Kakariko village seemed to be tranced in some deep sorcery. For whenever anyone entered, a deep, dark melody seemed to follow them through it, even though their were no instruments inside to make music. The Potion shop owner was a twenty three year old women named Hailey, who dealt out a large array of potions, hexes, and other forms of magic. 

"Welcome to the Potion shop of Kakariko," she recited her lines to herself. "The only supplier of Magic spells, Potions, and hexes in Kakariko village."

Business was slow, however. The people of the village didn't trust her, or her business, so they stayed away. The Gatekeeper and the Mayor had both politely asked her to dismantle her business, but she had refused. The town would be meeting in a week or so to vote on whether to legally force her to stop dealing in magic.

"Why do you care?" Hailey had shouted at the Gatekeeper when he had spoken to her. "You practice magic all the time! Why are you complaining?"

"I don't practice what you call magic," the Gatekeeper had calmly replied. "The Lord of Light gives me his abilities, and tells me to use them in specific ways. Your magic does not involve the Lord of Light in any way. Look, please, your business has drawn several Poes out from the Graveyard into the town already, and we can't allow that to happen. Please, we have numerous jobs we can offer you with good pay, and a good work schedule. Just dispel of this sorcery."

But the girl had refused, and the towns people had become nervous.

"We can't allow the powers of Ganon to exist in our small town," one man had argued. "If we do, then can we say we are a pure town, devoid of the darkness? No, we cannot."

Hailey smiled sadly, and looked around her room.

"Savor it," she said to herself, "for it will soon come to an end."

She then grabbed a spoon, and began mixing an array of liquids in a large bowl.

"Narcaga sag," she chanted. "Fargo kierzencha! Come Spirit. I call you!"

Hailey remembered what the Gatekeeper had said about performing such ceremonies.

"You spend your time calling to Spirits and demons, and they obey your very command. But soon their will come a day when they will not obey you, but force you to obey them."

"Narcaga sag!" she continued. "Fargo kierzencha!"

Suddenly the wooden door to her shop suddenly began to glow with ethereal energy. It shone, bright yellow, glowing as a spirit glows.

"Aen su caya! You have come!"

And it had. The yellow light then diminished, and a ghostly figure stepped right through the door.

"Spirit," Hailey said. "Tell me your name."

A low growl echoed from the spiritual body, but its lips did not move.

_'Nargasa,' _the spirit spoke right into her mind.

"Nargasa," she said, "who were you before your death?"

_'I have never lived.'_

"That's what all of you say to me," Hailey said, disappointed. "Do not hide the truth from me Nargasa. I wish to know what happens after death. Tell me! I am a witch, my power is great. You will obey me!"

The spirit suddenly smiled, its cold, dead lips lifting up in an evil smirk.

_'I am a spirit. What ever made you believe I would obey you?'_

The girl took a step backwards. She had never had a problem like this before.

"Tell me what death was like."

_'Why would I tell you what death is like? So you can write a book and make a fortune?'_

"All the other spirits before have always done as I said."

_'Only because what you asked of them served their purpose!'_

"Why did you come here then?"

_'You called for a spirit, and I happened to be passing by.'_

"Why did you come if you weren't going to do as you were told?" the girl snapped.

The spirit then glared at the girl, causing her to step back. The spirit smiled when it saw that it had the power. It took a step towards the girl.

_'I don't like people snapping at me.'_

"Don't touch me!" Hailey shouted.

_'If but I had a man here at my command, I would do just that. But since I don't, I'm afraid I will be forced to do something else.'_

"Leave me," the girl said. "Go back to the Spirit World!"

_'I will go where I please.'_

Then Hailey turned around, and grabbed a knife off of the wall. She then chucked it at the Spirit. But it just shot right through him, clattering to the ground across the room. The Spirit continued walking towards the girl. Hailey fell back against the wall. The spirit looked straight into her eyes.

_'It is time for you to die.'_

Hailey began whimpering, and covered her face with her hands. The Spirit smirked.

_'Oh I won't harm you.'_

"What?" Hailey removed her hands from her face, and looked up at the Spirit.

_'No. I'll leave that to my little friend.'_

The spirit then opened his hand, and a small purple flame floated out of it.

_'Meet the Poe.'_

"No," Hailey said. "A Poe? A Poe is a guardian spirit. A guide?"

_'How easily you humans are deceived.'_

The Poe took on physical form, and turned towards the girl on the ground. Hailey just stared at the Poe, unsure of what to do. Her assurance that Poes were spirits of light had now been shaken, badly shaken. She now was face to face with death. The Poe then drew a yellow sword out from nowhere.

* * *

A scream shot out from the potion shop, rising up above Kakariko village. A few villagers were startled by the scream. They stood up, and walked to their windows to see what was going on. When they saw that it came from the potion shop, they returned to whatever they had been doing before. They had often heard screams like that from the potion shop. It was Hailey, performing another ritual, and the Spirit she called up was screaming. It happened quite often.

* * *

The Hergon blade stung as it tugged at her soul, causing her body to jerk uncontrollably. Hailey couldn't stop screaming. The Poe before her pulled the blade roughly, causing a shock to shoot through her spine, and causing her eyes to shoot open as she felt darkness close around her. The pain was incredible. It felt like someone was cutting her heart out, but no. Someone was cutting her soul out. Suddenly a figure crashed through the door to the potion shop, and the Poe released the blade, causing it to crash painfully back into Hailey's soul. The girl moaned, and crumpled to the ground. Her eyes closed, and she fell into unconsciousness. 

The Gatekeeper crashed through the door, causing the ghostly figure to turn from its victim. Its eyes widened in fear when it saw the Gatekeeper.

_'Kill him,' _the spirit shouted to its Poe, before running towards the other side of the room. The Gatekeeper held his hand up, and launched a bright white circle of light into the spirit as it ran, causing the spirit to stumble, but it ran through the wall before the Gatekeeper could do anything else. The Gatekeeper then turned for the Poe.

"Take your blade," the Gatekeeper said. "Take your blade and fight me. I am giving you a chance."

The Poe turned to Hailey's crumpled body, and grabbed the hilt of the Hergon blade. The blade began glowing brightly, and the girl's body shook in pain. The blade slowly began to release her soul. The, with a mighty tug, the Poe yanked its blade out from Hailey's chest. Hailey's head shot up, and her eyes flashed open. Then she screamed, a loud scream of death. Then, her eyes rolled back, and she fell without a word to the ground.

The Poe held its sword out towards the Gatekeeper, and the Gatekeeper drew a sword of his own from the folds of his cloak.

"Lord of Light," he said. "Please give me strength."

It was then that the Gatekeeper's blade began glowing bright white with the energy of light. The Poe's eyes widened. The Poe then turned, without a word, and shot for the wall.

The Gatekeeper held out his hand, and a streak of bright light shot into the Poe, stunning it. The Gatekeeper then charged, and plunged his blade into it. The Poe screamed, and it was consumed by blue fire. Then, it winked out, and existed no more. The tiny Poe spirit rose up from where it had been.

" Nio cay entrana. Nu hera thorda."

The Poe spirit disappeared in a flash. The Gatekeeper then ran to Hailey's side, and put a hand against her forehead.

"Are you alright?" he said.

Hailey's eyes opened, and she looked up into the eyes of her rescuer. She then began to cry. The Gatekeeper embraced her softly, and she cried on his shoulder.

"I refused to listen to you for so long," she said through her tears. "You could have let me die then. I deserved it. I refused to listen to the truth. I am no longer worthy to live in this town. I must leave and never return."

"Don't say that," the Gatekeeper said. "No matter how far down the wrong path you travel, you can always turn back."

The Gatekeeper then carried the young woman out of the potion shop, towards his home.

"I have an extra room upstairs where you may stay until you get your feet back under you. It should be a few days until you have completely recovered. And you need to discuss your problems with the Lord of Light. And once you get your feet back, we'll find you a good job."

Hailey was amazed at the Gatekeeper's kindness.

"I've strayed too far from what is right," she said. "I don't deserve all of this."

"Nonsense! Does not a shepherd rejoice more when a sheep which runs away returns to him? Does he not cherish it more than the ones which stayed with him the whole time? I am just happy that you have come back from the darkness."

Hailey then leaned her head against the Gatekeeper's chest, and fell asleep.

* * *

Malon brushed the horses coat softly while humming a soft tune to herself. Ever since Link had won the horse race against Ingo, the ranch had returned to normal. Except for the fact that her father had not returned. Malon stopped, and let a tear roll down her cheek. Ingo had banished her father from the ranch when was given the ranch, and enslaved Malon. He had forced her to do all the hard work, and to live out in the barn while he lived in the comfort of the home, and took all the money for himself. But then Link came, and forced Ingo to return the ranch. 

Malon sighed. Link. She had always loved him, even when they were kids. But now she faced a personal dilemma. The two of them had been childhood lovers, but after seven years had gone by, Malon did not know if Link still felt the same way about her. She smiled a sad smile, and continued brushing the horse. She wondered when Link would return. He had promised to visit soon. But she hadn't seen him for at least two months. It was just then that Malon heard the familiar sound of a horse trotting out into the field from Hyrule Field. She froze, almost afraid to turn around.

"Malon," an all too familiar voice said weakly.

Malon jumped. It was him! Malon turned around, and saw Link slowly getting off of Epona's back. Her heart leapt inside of her.

"Link!" she shouted, before running towards him.

Link seemed to stiffen as he saw her running towards him with her arms outstretched, but Malon didn't pay any attention to this. She intended to hug her friend tightly to her, and welcome him back to the ranch, but things didn't turn out this way. Before she could hug him, Link dodged to the side, and tumbled to the ground. Malon stopped, and looked down at her friend.

"Don't... touch me..." Link said softly.

It was then that Malon noticed the long shining sword which was embedded in Link's stomach.

"Oh my gosh!" Malon said, horrified. "You've been stabbed. Oh my gosh!"

For a second she just stood their, too shocked to do anything. But then Malon's common sense returned, and she reached out for the hilt of the blade.

"We need to get this out of you," she said. "Then we can patch up the wound."

"No wait!" Link shouted, but it was too late.

Malon's hand closed around the hilt, and a violent shock shot straight up her arm. But she did not draw her hand away. The hilt seemed as if it was glued to her hand as the Hergon blade shot painful volts of electricity up into the poor farm girl. Sparks shot everywhere, and Malon screamed as her body was filled with dark energy. Then a ball of blueish light shot out and collided with the farm girl's chest, causing her to release the blade, and tumble backwards to the ground.

"Is she okay?" Link said, sitting up.

"I think she'll live," Navi said. "But she took some painful shots of energy. Its lucky I acted when I did."

Navi floated over to Malon's crumpled body, and looked at the hand which had grabbed the Hergon blade. Her flesh was burned badly, and it sizzled under the intense heat. Navi winced as she looked at the damage. The fairy then touched the wound lightly, and her hand began to glow with bright white energy. Navi closed her eyes and began murmuring a prayer. The burned skin crumpled up and came off in flakes, revealing fresh, white skin underneath.

"She will be just fine," Navi said.

Malon groaned, and opened her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Link said, worriedly.

Malon looked up at Link with tear streaked eyes, and then looked at her hand. Link knelt beside the farm girl, and helped her up into a sitting position. Link pulled her up to the barn, and leaned her against it.

"There," Link said. "You can lean against that until you feel better."

Link then sat down beside Malon, and put a comforting arm around her.

"What is that?" Malon asked, weakly gesturing at the blade in Link's stomach.

Malon then told Malon about how he had gone down into the Sheikah tomb where he had fought the Poes, and had been stabbed with the blade.

"I have heard about those blades before," Malon said. "They say only the Lord of Light can remove a Hergon blade."

Link rolled his eyes, but Malon didn't see this, for the sky was beginning to darken.

"I need to go close the gates of the Ranch," Malon said weakly.

"No," Link said. "You need to stay here and recuperate your strength. Besides. I closed them on my way into the Ranch."

Malon smiled halfheartedly at Link. She then sighed, and leaned her head back against the hard wooden barn.

"It sure is a beautiful night," she said, looking up into the now dark sky.

The clouds were slowly breaking apart, revealing the stars and a beautiful full moon.

"How has the ranch been doing?" Link asked.

"Pretty good," Malon said. "Its kind of difficult, because I've never had to run the entire ranch. Dad or Ingo was always here to help. But now Ingo has run away, and I haven't seen Dad since last year."

Tears welled up in Malon's eyes, and Link patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"I've been thinking about you a lot lately," Malon said, hoping to somehow hint on the relationship that had existed between them seven years ago.

"So have I," Link said gazing dreamily up into the night sky.

Malon turned and looked up at Link.

"You have?"

Link turned and looked at the girl beside him.

"Yes," he said with a smile.

Their eyes locked, and their faces slowly inched towards each other. Malon's heart quickened. This was the moment she had been waiting for all her life. Their gaze never broke until their lips touched. Malon closed her eyes, and put her arms around Link's neck. Link closed his eyes, and placed his arms around Malon's waist. Link then deepened the kiss, causing Malon's eyes to flash open in alarm. Link's had slowly began creeping around to her front, and began moving up towards her chest. Malon knew what he was going for, and she wasn't ready for it. Malon pulled away.

"What?" Link asked.

Malon smiled playfully up at her hero.

"I think we should say good night now," she whispered. "Its getting quite dark."

"I don't mind the dark," Link said. "I'm not afraid."

Malon chuckled, as if it was a joke.

"No seriously," she said. "I'd better get to bed now."

Link frowned, and stood up abruptly. Malon got to her feet, and began walking back towards the house.

"You can spend the night in my Dad's old bed," Malon said.

"No," Link said. "I'll spend the night out here, thank you very much."

"What?" Malon turned, and looked over into Link's eyes, but he turned away, refusing to make eye contact with her. "Are you okay Link? Was it something I did?"

"Don't worry about me," Link snapped. "I'll be fine."

Malon lowered her eyes, and tears began to form on the edges of her eyes. Link softened, and almost apologized. Malon held in her sadness, but a lone tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the ground.

"Okay," Malon said, before opening the door to her home, and walking inside.

She shut the door behind her, and threw herself onto the couch and cried. Why had Link snapped at her? Malon knew that it was because she had pulled away from the kiss when things had begun to get erotic, and this made her sad. She felt horrible, and she didn't really understand why. The man she loved had just snapped at her for refusing his sexual advances. What did this mean about their relationship? Did Link truly love her, or was he just in it for lustful purposes. Malon layed her head against the couch, and cried herself to sleep.

Outside, Link was kneeling on the ground crying out in his pain. But he was not crying because of the way he had treated Malon. The Hergon blade crackled and hissed as it sent streams of dark energy through Link's soul. Navi floated above Link's head, channeling light energy into her Kokiri, doing her best to stem the flood of dark energy. The Hergon blade then ceased its channeling, and Link fell to the ground, panting heavily.

"The Hergon blade only channel such dark energy when the mind of the victim opens to its dark energy."

Link lifted his head up, and looked at his fairy.

"You hurt Malon back there," Navi said. "You know that, don't you."

"What do you think I'm stupid?" Link snapped.

Another shock shot through his stomach, silencing him again.

"The blade should stop in a second," Navi said. "But I don't think it was your physical actions that enticed the Hergon blade. I think it was your thoughts."

"My thoughts?"

"Why do you think you hurt Malon? You allowed lust to take over your mind."

"I don't know what the heck you are talking about," Link said.

"For that instance when you began to deepen the kiss, you weren't thinking about Malon's well being, or loving her as a person. At that moment, you thought of her as an object. As something to be used, and cast away."

"What are you suggesting?" Link said.

"Malon thought that you loved her when the two of you began to kiss," Navi said. "But now I'm sure that she is having her doubts. You wanted to sleep with her, didn't you? Such thoughts are not of love. Love is the desire to help someone, or to give things to them. The desire to receive pleasure from someone is just tainted, lowly lust."

Link didn't say anything in response. Their was nothing he could say. He knew that Navi was right. A wave of guilt struck him, and he began to realize how Malon must have felt when he had started treating her like that. That was why he had been angry when she had pulled away. If he had been loving her instead of lusting after her, he would have respected her decision.

"The Hergon blade feeds off of evil," Navi thoughts, "even if it comes in the form of small thoughts which seem very innocent, until you see the motive behind them. If a hero goes out to destroy a great evil, and does it simply for the praise and respect he will receive from people, then his intentions are not worthy. Even if he kills the enemy, and saves thousands of people, if he does it simply for his own well being, he is no better off than the man who didn't go out to stop the evil. Only if the hero destroys the evil, and does it out of compassion for the world, then his intentions are good."

Link sighed, and leaned against the barn. How he wished he could rewind time, and undo what he had done. How he wished he could go in there and apologize to Malon. But he didn't feel that he could show his face to her again. Suddenly Link's eyes widened as he felt a dark presence.

"Navi!"

"What is it?"

"Remember the evil that we unearthed seven years ago?"

"Yes."

"I can feel it. It has awoken again."

"How?"

"Somehow it was alerted of my presence. And now it is coming for me!"

_**Ah-ha-ha! I end chapter now. Whaddaya guys think? What will happen with Link and Malon? Dang, I feel so sorry for both of them. Hope it all ends up okay. Suggestions for future chapters will be most welcome on my review page, and I hope that more of you besides Ri2 will review, cause he's my only reviewer as of now.**_


	7. Chapter 7 Soul Hunter

**Chapter 7 Soul Hunter**

_**Heya! Howsit goin? Ri2. My only reviewer (how sad). To answer questions of yours, first of all, in this story magic only comes from two places. The Lord of Light, and Ganon. I believe it to be that way in the real world to (except with God and Satan). And the magic which the Potion shop dealer served belonged to Ganon, even though she did not know it. So there you go. And about thinking someone to be sexy, it wasn't really that that caused the Hergon blade to shock him. It was because when he was thinking of her as sexy, he thought of her as an object, not as a person. Think about it. He was thinking crap like "Oh, I so very muchly want to sleep with her," that isn't exactly like: "I love her so much, and she is a human being." There you go. Any more questions, review.**_

Darkness. A flash of gray light. Darkness. A flash of gray light. Darkness. The rising of the moon barely managed to penetrate the darkness of the night. But the wavering grayish ghost did as it walked across the fields of Hyrule. A hunter it was, searching for its pray. Before it lay footsteps, extending off from Kakariko village, and onward into the field. Every once and a while, a Poe would appear, to examine the new spirit. The ghostly being always regarded them with a cold stare, until they were content to know what it was. The footsteps continued, and the ghostly figure began to walk faster. They were fresh. The spirit stepped to the top of a small hill, and saw Lon Lon Ranch up ahead. The footprints lead in that direction.

The Hunter smiled, and began walking towards the silent ranch. Lighting flashed in the distance, and the spirit's attention was briefly pulled towards the storm clouds off in the distance. But then, its eyes fixated the Ranch again. This was where the thrill came. Walking towards the pray, knowing that the pray did not know about you. The Hunter smirked, and stepped through the holographic rain that was a part of him.

The clock in Malon's house chimed twice, signaling that it was now two o'clock in the morning. Her body lay on the couch, still as death. The door to the house slowly opened, and Link stepped in to the darkened room. When he saw Malon lying asleep on the couch, Link's heart fell into his stomach. He knew why she was on the couch.

_This is all my fault, _he thought. _I am the one who hurt her._

Link walked to her side, and looked down at the sleeping girl. Her face had been washed clean with tears, and now she looked almost peaceful. Link pushed a pillow under her head, and then laid a blanket over Malon's sleeping body. Malon smiled in her sleep, and snuggled up on the couch. Link brushed her hair back from her face, and then turned for the stairs. Slowly, Link ascended up the stairs towards the higher levels. As he walked, tears of sorrow for what he said to Malon fell from his eyes. Link knew who he was, and he didn't want any part of it. At that moment, Link decided to end who he had been, and stop thinking of people as possessions. Link turned, and looked back at Malon sleeping on the couch. She looked so innocent, and pure as she slept. And Link decided that he wanted her to remain that way. Link turned, and continued up the stairs, but he left his impure thoughts behind him, and walked on with hope.

The spirit regarded the gates which stood before him. They would hold back any Poe, for they had been filled with the energy of light. Only a few of these gates still existed, for few were left who truly believed in the Lord of Light. Ganon had struck at the right time, when all had been blinded from the truth. And he basked in his rule. But there was a chink in the plan.

The ghostly figure touched the gates lightly, and a shock entered his hand. The spirit could not touch the gates. If he did, it was possible that he would be cast away from the world. Suddenly the spirit heard a noise. It turned invisible, and turned around, looking for the source of the noise. A wild horse trotted up towards the gate. The spirit smiled, and reached out towards the mare. The horse listened, and heard its voice in its head, commanding it. The horse was completely controlled by the spirit's commands, and could do nothing to stop the demon. The horse turned, and jumped over the gate. It then turned, and began nibbling at the rope which held the gate shut. Soon it came loose, and the horse cantered off. The spirit, however, stepped forward, into the ranch. It smiled wickedly, and looked around for its prey.

Malon's house was completely dark and silent inside. Not a sound was heard this late at night, all except for the soft ticking of the clock which sat just above the mantel. The large hand then moved onto six, and the clock chimed to signal that a half an hour had passed. Malon abruptly awoke from her sleep. At first, she wondered where she was, but then remembered everything. Malon stood up, and began sleepily walking for the stairs. Suddenly the ticking of the clock stopped. Malon turned around, and looked over at the mantelpiece, trying to figure out why the clock had stopped ticking. She turned, and stepped back into the dark room, looking intently at the clock. She didn't even notice the ghostly being which materialized through the door behind her.

Link abruptly awoke to the sound of a scream from the first floor. The master sword was immediately in his hand, and he jumped up from the bed. Then, he dashed down the stairs to see what was going on. When he reached the bottom, he was surprised to find that all was quiet.

"What is going on Link?" Navi said, popping out of his hat.

"I don't know," Link said.

"Link."

"What is it?"

"I feel a dark presence."

"Oh crap."

Then, a ghostly figure stepped through the darkness, and faced the Hero of Time. It held Malon in its arms, with a ghostly blade pressed against the farm girl's neck. Her neck was stretched out, for she was leaning away from the blade which the spirit had placed right at the top of her neck. The spirit had a hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her voice. She tried to speak, but all that she managed was a soft moan. Malon looked over at Link, her eyes pleading for help.

"Oh my gosh," Link said softly. "Navi, do you know what that is?"

"That is... the ancient evil we awoke seven years ago," Navi said.

"Who are you?" Link asked the spirit.

He wanted to avoid a fight, considering the fact that the spirit held a blade at Malon's neck.

_'I am the Hunter, Link, Hero of Time. I have hunted you for so many years, until going into slumber, thinking that you had died long ago. Then, just a day ago, I felt your presence in this world again, and I set off to hunt you. I just didn't know it would be so easy!'_

"'Nargasa lies within the darkness,'" Navi said. "Don't you remember Link? That was carved in the door that we opened before we entered the chamber where we accidentally awoke this... spirit."

"Yes," Link said. "I remember."

Seven years ago Link entered the well in Kakariko village in search of an 'eye which could see the truth.' What he found beneath Kakariko's surface was a freakish land of evil spirits. Dark beings crawled out of crevices to fight against Link. Eerie cries echoed from the blackness, announcing the hope of all the demons in the pit. The hope for Link's demise. He had found the eye of truth, locked in an old treasure chest. But beyond it lay an ancient door on which were written the words: "Fallen into darkness, he now sleeps. Awaken he will, when someone disturbs his quarters. He will then hunt them until they are dead. Visitor, beware, for Nargasa lies within the darkness."

The warning was inscribed on the door, but Navi and Link payed it no head. The opened the door, and awoke the demon called Nargasa. The room had been dark, save a purple candle which glowed brightly on an ancient stone altar. Immediately when Link and Navi stepped upon the cold stone ground, breathed the still, musty air, they knew something was wrong. It wasn't until the altar began to glow that they began to panic. The hero and his fairy turned, and ran for their lives. They had faced down many dark creatures, from Redeads to strange hand like creatures which tried to strangle Link. But they dared not face this creature. As they ran, the dark world beneath Kakariko began to crumble, and every Redead and Poe which stood in their way exploded as if struck by a merciless plague. The pillars fell down, and the ceiling began to crumble away. And all the while, that strange ghostly figure ran through the darkness, just behind the two of them. Its cold eyes pierced them every time either of them looked it in the face. And it was gaining on them. Link and Navi ran to the end of the well, and began climbing up the stone face. The ghostly figure stopped behind them, for it dared not venture up from the underworld into Kakariko village. It just glared at the fairy and the boy as they escaped. As the Underworld died around it, the ghostly figure looked up at Link, and spoke to him through his mind.

_'You awoke me,' _he said. _'You destroyed my peaceful rest. You ruined my dark dreams. You brought the fairies here. They now tear my Underworld apart. Now I will not rest until your soul is torn from your body and cast into the darkness. I will not rest until you are damned.'_

"Let her go Nargasa," Link said.

_'Why should I let this mortal go? Do you not realize that I desire her soul as well?'_

"You will not touch her!"

_'Oh I won't touch her,' _the spirit said with a grin. _'I'll leave that to my little friend.'_

The spirit's hand opened, and a Poe spirit floated slowly out. It then took on its physical form, and turned towards the farm girl. The Poe drew a bright yellow blade.

"No!" Link shouted, before charging towards Nargasa with his blade held outward.

But the spirit just held out its hand, freezing Link right there in the air. Nargasa then levitated Link with its powers, and tossed Link into the wall like a rag doll. But as it lifted its hand, it released Malon's mouth, and she began shouting.

"No!" she cried out. "Link! Help me!"

The spirit's hand clamped back over her mouth again.

_'Proceed,' _the spirit said to the Poe, who stabbed its blade into Malon's chest. Malon screamed, but the Hergon blade popped right back out. The Poe growled, and tried again, this time receiving even less success. The Poe then stabbed the sword right through Malon, into her spirit, holding the blade tightly in position. Then, the Hergon blade shattered, and bright white light shot out from where the sword had stabbed the farm girl, and consumed the Poe. It screamed before it was consumed by the bright white fires of light. Then it disappeared under the wrath of light. Nargasa's eyes widened, as it realized what was inside the farm girl.

_'The spirit of the Lord of Light!'_

Nargasa released the farm girl, and then backed away. Malon tried to run over to Link, but Nargasa held its hand out, and the farm girl was lifted up into the air by his magic powers.

_'You are not going anywhere! You will go nowhere except to Hell!'_

Malon's eyes widened.

"Help me Link," she said softly.

Link groaned, and stood back up. He drew his sword, and began walking towards Nargasa. The spirit opened its hand, and several Poe spirits flew out of it. They then formed a perimeter around him, and took on their physical forms.

_'I wouldn't recommend coming any closer Mr. Hero of Time. You already have a Hergon blade in your gut!'_

"Release Malon!" Link shouted.

_'And miss all the fun I could have tormenting her? No. Its always pathetic mortals like you who think that you can stand against evil. But I tell you, you are powerless. This farm girl poses more of a threat than you do, and she is currently in harm's way.'_

Malon's head was suddenly jerked back violently, and she floated slowly over to the ghostly figure.

_'And what's even more amazing is how I can take her life away with just a backward twist of her neck.'_

Malon's head was wrenched violently to the side.

"No!" Link shouted, before charging towards the spirit.

Link leapt, and swung his sword. But a Poe flew up in front of him, and caught his attack against its torch. Before Link finished his jump, a second Poe flew up, and pulled violently on the Hergon blade. Link screamed, and tumbled to the ground in a heap.

_'Foolish boy. Risking your life for the love of another. If you were wise you would know that only darkness matters.'_

Link's stomach burned as if it were on fire, due to the recent tugs at the Hergon blade. He tried to stand, but his legs failed him.

_'Oh. So you won't stand and help your precious source of pleasure?'_

Link slowly lifted his face up from the ground. His eyes were full of fire.

"Do not speak that way of Malon."

_'Why should I speak well of a corpse?'_

Malon's head was wrenched back the other way, the ghostly sword floated up to her neck.

_'For even the people who belong to the Lord of Light will die!'_

"That is not true!" Link was startled when Malon suddenly spoke. Nargasa even looked up in surprise.

Malon glared at her tormentor.

"You, spirit have fallen to the darkness of Ganon. You are blinded to what is good and true. You think your power means everything. But it only means your downfall. The Lord of Light has already won the battle with Ganon. Someday Ganon will be banished to the deepest depths of the universe, never to rise again. And you will go with him. And the Lord of Light will take his followers with him."

Nargasa's eyes flashed.

_'Foolish farm girl! You will die for this!'_

Malon's eyes widened, and she looked at Link, pleadingly.

_'Don't get any ideas, your hero can't help you now.'_

The ghostly blade floated over to Malon's neck.

_'Do you know what this blade is?'_

Malon and Link just stared at the spirit.

_'It was born of paranormal energies, sculpted from evil. Into it was poured the powers of death, and destruction. It is the poison. Now, which one of you should I kill?'_

Its eyes fell on Malon.

_'The question really should be, which one of you do I wish to hurt? Malon, you have done nothing against me ever. But I still desire your soul, as I desire the souls of every man.'_

The spirit's eyes turned to Link.

_'But you Link. You destroyed my home. You ended my rest. You disturbed the darkness in which I rested! My one escape from the powers of light fell, and all the dark demons which I had enslaved in it as well. You awoke me! And I desire your soul as well. So who would I harm?'_

Link felt paranormal energies tighten around him as the spirit seized him in its mighty grip. He was then carried over closer to Nargasa, and then tossed violently to the ground in front of the mighty spirit. Link stood up to his feet, and faced the spirit, ready to accept his fate. Nargasa looked at Link with its cold, evil eyes. Link felt a tremor run down his back.

_'So begin the suffering Link, here is your pain!'_

The ghostly blade floated over to Link's neck.

_'Do you know the definition of suffering, Link?'_

"Intense pain."

_'Oh, but it is so much more than that.'_

The ghostly blade then moved back from Link's neck, and suddenly shot into Malon's arm.

"No!" Link shouted.

The dagger cut into her arm, drawing blood, but nothing more. Nargasa then gestured with his hand, and Malon was tossed into Link's arms. Malon and Link embraced as tears flowed down both of their faces equally. And all the while, Nargasa was watching them.

"I was so worried," Link said. "I thought he was going to kill you."

_'I want you to live,' _Nargasa said, floating up into the air. _'I want you to live knowing that I have taken everything from you. Suffering is more than intense pain. Suffering strikes at the very heart, and never stops. I have suffered all my life for what I have become. And now I want you to experience such suffering too. Farewell my hated enemy.'_

Nargasa then opened its hand, and the Poes all shot back into it. The spirit then turned, and flew through the wall.

"Link," Navi said softly. "That blade was poison."

Malon's grip around her hero weakened, and her strength began to diminish.

"No," Link whispered.

Link's features softened as he realized that Malon was going to die. The tears in his eyes continued to pour, but now they fell out of grief. He gently laid Malon gently down on the couch, and pulled the covers over her.

"Just relax Malon," he said as tears rolled down his face. "Just relax."

Malon moaned like a drunken man, and placed a hand against her forehead.

"Everything is going to be alright," Link said.

Malon smiled up at Link, and took his hand in hers.

"Link."

"Don't speak."

"Link. I love... I love... you..."

Her eyes closed, and her head rolled back against the pillow. Link sniffed, and let out a muffled sob.

"No," he sobbed. "No! No! Nargasa! Why did you take all that mattered to me? Why did you do this to me! I will kill you! I'll kill you! No! I don't want to live! I don't want to live!"

Link fell on a heap on the ground, and cried his heart out. A tiny, crystalline tear fell from Navi's eyes as she watched Malon's spirit slowly leave her body.

"She has gone," Navi said with a sniff.

"Gone where?"

"Gone to the Lord of Light. Soon she will be home."

"No," Link said. "Not yet. Malon has too much life ahead of her to die now. She has too much to live."

Link stood up, and lifted Malon's lifeless body from the couch. Then, without a word, he began walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Navi asked.

"I have to find the Gatekeeper," Link said.

"You think he can help?"

"He healed my cuts. He cast away a Poe."

"Anyone who wields the power of Light can cast away a Poe."

"Anyways, if anyone can bring back the dead, it is him."

Link then turned, and walked out the door. Navi followed.

The Gatekeeper and Hailey sat at a table eating breakfast together.

"So the town should be satisfied now," Hailey said. "I've given up black magic forever."

"Unfortunately that is only a concern of theirs because they fear Ganon," the Gatekeeper said. "Not many of them follow the Lord of Light anymore. Our village is in spiritual decay. There are many who disapprove of me, and wish I were dead. There are many who wish to ban any further mention of the Lord of Light."

Nargasa ran through Hyrule Field, its eyes fixed on Kakariko village.

_'It is time. It is time for the Gatekeeper to fall!'_

As the spirit ran, evil Spirits wandering through the plain turned to follow the ghostly figure to the village. They cackled and hissed. They were ready.

**_This isn't good. I wonder what they're going to do to the Gatekeeper._**


	8. Chapter 8 Fallen Gatekeeper

**Chapter 8 Fallen Gatekeeper**

_**The hammer falls again. The Great Hammermaster has returned, after taking a break to try my hand at a bit of Poetry. Read and enjoy, and review.**_

Silence covered Kakariko village as the misty morning does. Not a sound was heard, for all the people were in their homes, barely awake. But other creatures were awake at this moment, preparing for their work. The Ghostly figure, Nargasa, walked on into the Kakariko graveyard, and watched as all the spirits that resided there came out from hiding. The Poes eyed him curiously. They did not know who he was.

_'Poes, our time has come.'_

The Poes stared back curiously.

_'Not one of us can fight the Gatekeeper and win, but he is still susceptible to the powers of his own race. Any man can kill him.'_

The Poes began chirping and shrieking amongst themselves, trying to understand what the evil spirit before them was saying.

_'Turn the people against him, and he will fall. We are strong, we are mighty. We do not have to remain pent up in the Graveyard forever. We will take the town itself!'_

The eyes of all the Poes before Nargasa flashed with excitement and anger. They understood what he was saying. They cackled their support.

_'Take the people one by one,' _Nargasa shouted. _'Turn them into your prey!'_

The Poes shrieked in anticipation. Nargasa turned, and ran towards the exit to the Graveyard.

_'Follow me!'_

The demonic creatures followed their new master, legions upon legions of the merciless spirits followed behind the dark ghost who had never lived. They had found their master, and they would follow him. As the Poes shot out from the graveyard, they began to change form. Their decayed, evil faces disappeared, and in place appeared soft, pleasant faces of children, mothers, lovers, etc. They then descended upon the people of the town, their minds teeming with new lies to spread among them. As they came to each child, man, or women, not once were they shouted at, and rebuked. No. They were greeted warmly, and welcomed into the homes of the people.

"Hello," a young girl said as she looked up at one of the Poes who had taken the form of a comical fatherly man. "What's your name."

"I am Theodore," the Poe said in a friendly, lighthearted voice. "And I am your Spiritual Guide."

"Spiritual Guide?" the little girl asked. "What is that?"

"I am a man who has achieved a higher state of being. I come now to love you and care for you, and give you advice."

"Darling," said the girl's mother, coming out from her home. "Who are you talking to-"

When she saw the Poe, her eyes widened, and she gasped.

"Theodore!" she said.

"Yes it is me my dear," the Poe said, smiling happily up at the lady. "I have returned."

The mother shouted out in happiness, and flung her arms around the spirit. The Poe hugged her tightly, as a husband would hug his wife.

"But you died," the lady said, as tears of joy began to fall from her eyes. "How did you come back here?"

"I was reborn," her "husband" said with a warm smile. "I have been reincarnated to a higher state of being. Now I can protect you forever and ever. And soon, when you die, you will be reincarnated to my state as well. Then we can live together forever in immortality."

"Who is that mother?" the little girl asked, her puppy dog eyes opened wide in wonder.

"Annie," the lady said. "This is your father. He has returned to us."

The little girl's eyes glazed over in happiness, and she leapt into her "father's" open arms. Theodore laughed, and held her tightly to him, letting a few lone tears fall from his eyes. But in truth the little girl was now clutched in the tallons of a mighty and dark being. The Poe cursed the girl and her mother in its mind as it hugged her, wishing them to fall to hell.

All over the town, thousands rejoiced as their long dead relatives appeared to them again, and some received new spiritual guides who promised to look after them for ever.

"We must tell you about the truth. Too long has your town been blinded to it. Too long have false lies, like those of the Lord of Light, covered your town, and pushed it into darkness."

And the town's people were all too happy to agree with them. But some were not. All felt that something was wrong, but few payed any attention to this feeling.

"Let us come together, and become Gods. Let us be reincarnated as the divine. For we hold the potential within ourselves."

Soon the town, which had once been the home of the saved, became the home of the deceived. A spirit even visited the Gatekeeper.

"Hello," it said, a young man of about twenty five. "Do you remember me? I was your best friend. I have been reborn again as an immortal spirit."

"Tod?" the Gatekeeper said in surprise and amazement.

At first, his face was covered with happiness and joy. But when he took a step towards his old friend, he felt that something was not right. Then he remembered what "Tod's" final sentence had been.

"You're not Tod," the Gatekeeper said. "You are a Poe!"

A look of alarm flashed across the Poe's face. How had he recognized it?

"I am not a..."

"Back spirit," the Gatekeeper said. "I command you to stand back in the name of the Lord of Light."

"I am not a..."

"Dark creature," the Gatekeeper said, taking a step towards the Poe. "Cease your lying! I command you to leave this house in the name of the Lord of Light!"

The Poe took a step towards the Gatekeeper.

"But I am not a Poe. I am your old friend Tod, come to see you again."

"Stand back!" the Gatekeeper shouted, before drawing his sword.

The steel blade was once again surrounded by bright white energy of light. The Poe stopped. The Poe then continued walking forward, while slowly reaching down into its sheath for its Hergon blade.

"I am your old friend."

The Gatekeeper then swung his sword, and a bolt of white energy shot out from the blade, colliding with the evil spirit. The bright energy burned at its flesh, and the Poe screamed. It then turned, and ran through the wall.

* * *

A scream rocked through the village, causing the town's people to turn to see where it came from. A screaming spirit came dashing up the hill towards them. Its face was badly burned, and tears poured out of its eyes as if it were dying. 

"What happened?" one of the new spiritual guides asked.

"The... the guardian!" the spirit said through its sobs. "I was a friend of his, and I went to see him again. And he sent my skin on fire!"

The other spiritual guide grasped the Poe disguised as Tod in a large hug, and held him as he wept.

"I'm sorry that your friend betrayed you," he said. "But before we can deal with him, we must heal you."

Everywhere, suddenly all of the newly arrived spirits began floating up into the air. Their new "families" watched in awe as they rose high above their heads, ascending into the heavens. The spirits were encircled in a bright, yellowish light. The townspeople watched in amazement as all the spirits pointed towards the wounded one, and he was healed. The yellow light then left them, and the spirits began sinking down from the sky. The wounded spirit's flesh had now been healed, and he was restored.

"Now," a spirit said as they landed. "Are you all with us?"

The town's people nodded.

"Then come with us," a second spirit said. "We must stop the Gatekeeper once and for all."

* * *

Link lead Epona through Hyrule Field to the gates of Kakariko village. Both the horse and the Rider were sad. Both heads drooped, and every once and a while an occasional tear fell from Link's eyes. Over Malon's back the dead body of Malon lay, tied to the leather saddle with soft ropes. Link pushed the gates open quite easily, and was amazed to see that the guard was not their. Link shrugged this off, and walked on into the village.

* * *

"Father no!" the Gatekeeper shouted as he watched the mob of villagers carry the dead body of his father out from his home. 

His body was covered in wounds, and his clothes were soaked in blood. The Gatekeeper fell to the floor of his small home, and began to cry. His shoulders shook as he silently wept out his sorrows upon the cold wood floor.

"How could they do that to him?" he moaned as he wept. "He has done nothing wrong. Now I don't have a father."

The Gatekeeper suddenly stopped crying.

_But I still have a father, _he thought. _The Lord of Light is now my only father._

"Father," the Lord of Light whispered through his tears. "Father. Give me strength please. Lord of Light, give me strength. I surrender to your will father. I surrender to your will!"

The Gatekeeper bowed his head to the ground, and a deep sleep overcame him. In his dreams, he found himself standing before a brilliant altar which shone with bright white light. In his dream, he saw a throne descending from the heavens, which was surrounded by bright white light as well. Winged beings, which the Gatekeeper identified to be Great Fairies, flew in circles around the mighty throne. They sang: "Powerful and mighty is He, who sits upon this throne. Blessed are those who bless him, and cursed are those who curse him. Powerful and mighty, loving and caring. He is the divine!"

The Gatekeeper could not make out the figure which sat upon the throne, for the bright light blinded him.

"WELCOME, MY CHILD!" a mighty voice issuing from the figure which sat upon the throne.

The Gatekeeper fell to his knees as the voice of his creator entered his ears.

"I HAVE COME TO WARN YOU OF WHAT IS TO COME!"

"Tell me what your will is Lord of Light," the Gatekeeper said.

"KAKARIKO VILLAGE HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE POWERS OF DARKNESS!" the Lord of Light continued. "THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DECEIVED BY THE FALLEN FAIRIES. NOW THEY WILL COME MARCHING AGAINST YOU, AND ALL WHO ARE WITH YOU. THE TOWN IS LOST. IT SEEMS THAT ALL THAT IS LEFT FOR IT IS ETERNITY IN THE ABYSS."

"No," the Gatekeeper said. "Please, not that. Surely their must be a way to save them."

"DO NOT MOURN YET," the Lord of Light continued. "HOPE IS STILL IN THE AIR. JUST AS I CREATED A WAY FOR GOOD TO RETURN TO THE WORLD AFTER IT WAS TAKEN BY GANON, I AM ALSO AWARE OF A WAY TO SAVE THE VILLAGE FROM THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN INTO DARKNESS!"

"But how Lord?" the Gatekeeper said. "How?"

"THERE IS BUT ONE WAY. AND YOU WILL NOT LIKE WHAT IT IS. I WILL NOW SHOW YOU A MESSAGE THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE LEADER OF THESE EVIL SPIRITS! I WILL ALSO SHOW YOU THE FUTURE!"

The mist which flowed in the air of the dream world flowed together to form some sort of moving picture. The Gatekeeper stood up, and looked intently into the cloudy image. He heard men shouting in anger and hate, and a person screaming. He heard a horse neigh, and heard the sound of mourning. But what he saw shocked him more than anything else.

"No!" the Gatekeeper fell down to the ground before the Lord of Light, and bowed his head. "It can't be that way!"

"THERE IS NO OTHER WAY," the Gatekeeper said. "THAT IS THE FUTURE, OR AT LEAST WHAT THE FUTURE MAY BE. YOU WILL BE GIVEN A CHOICE. YOUR DECISION WILL DECIDE WHETHER THE TOWNS PEOPLE WHO REMAIN LOYAL WILL BE SPARED, OR DESTROYED. I WISH THAT THERE WAS AN ALTERNATIVE, BUT THERE IS NOT. I DO NOT WISH THIS UPON YOU MY CHILD, FOR YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU."

"Yes," the Gatekeeper said. "You love me more than any creature ever has. You love me more than anyone ever could."

"THIS IS YOUR CHOICE MY SON. PLEASE MAKE IT A GOOD ONE! BUT I MUST KNOW NOW! WHAT IS YOUR DECISION?"

"I will..." the Gatekeeper hesitated. "I will do it."

He then covered his eyes with his hands, and let the tears fall. As he sobbed, he became aware of two strong arms which enveloped him in a large embrace.

"YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD MAN MY SON. AND IF ONLY THIS WERE NOT TRUE, THEN PERHAPS YOU WOULD LIVE IN COMPLETE HAPPINESS. BUT THOSE WHO SUPPORT WHAT IS GOOD DON'T ALWAYS LEAD HAPPY LIVES. FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOW EVIL ALWAYS PERSECUTE THEM. BLESS YOU MY SON, FOR YOU ARE GOOD. RETURN TO THE WORLD NOW. THERE IS A MAN WHO NEEDS YOU. THERE IS A CHILD OF MINE WHO LIES DEAD. YOUR TIME HAS COME!"

* * *

The Gatekeeper awoke in tears. He slowly lifted his head up from the ground, and immediately heard the sound of someone knocking on his door. He stood up, and walked over to the door. When he opened it, he saw Link standing there, with tears in his eyes. 

"Hero of Time?" the Gatekeeper exclaimed. "I didn't expect you to return."

Link immediately broke down, and began to cry right before him. It was then that the Gatekeeper noticed the beautiful girl who Link was carrying. She was dead. On her gentle cheeks the soft silence of death rested, and her eyes were peacefully closed, as if the world were too dark to look upon.

"Can you... save her?" Link said through his tears.

"She is dead," the Gatekeeper replied, looking down at the limp figure.

"But she didn't deserve to die!" Link shouted at the man, surprised at his own show of anger. "She did nothing! And she died because of it!"

"She did indeed do something that brought her death upon her," the Gatekeeper said, gently touching the young woman's forehead with his hand.

"What did she do!" Link snapped.

"She chose to follow light instead of darkness," the Gatekeeper said. "And evil has a way of persecuting and killing those who oppose it.

"This is all my fault," Link said. "I opened the crypt, and released the ghost!"

The Gatekeeper suddenly reached out, and took the young woman out of Link's arms, and carried her into his home. Link followed.

"What was her name?" the Gatekeeper asked, as he layed her down on the couch.

"Malon," Link said.

"It is a shame that people die so young," the Gatekeeper said, looking down into the dead girl's face. "Especially those who have committed no evil. But evil seeks out both those who embrace it, and those who don't."

"Can you..." Link said, almost afraid to ask the Gatekeeper. "Can you bring her back?"

The Gatekeeper touched Malon's face gently, and looked down into her eyes. He then grasped her hand in his, and began to speak.

"Malon," he said. "Come forth. Wake up now."

Then slowly, ever so slowly, the color began to return to the pale face of the corpse. And Malon's hands, which had been stone cold, began to warm up again. Then she moaned, and opened her eyes.

"Malon!" Link said, rushing to her side.

"Link?" Malon said softly, savoring the sound of his name. "Link, is that you?"

The Gatekeeper stepped back, and Link immediately embraced the farm girl.

"I thought you were gone for good," Link said as tears resurfaced on his eyes.

"So did I," Malon said as she hugged her hero tightly to her.

"Malon," Link said, pulling away from the embrace.

"Yes Link?" Malon said, smiling sweetly up at him as he looked down at her.

"I'm sorry," Link said. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you back at the ranch. It was wrong, and I'm sorry. Will you ever forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you," Malon said with a smile. "But Link, do you love me?"

"What kind of question is that?" Link said with a smile. "Of course I love you. I've always loved you."

Malon giggled, and gently touched Link's cheek with her hand. She then grasped the back of his neck, and pulled him into a kiss. But this time, the kiss did not end abruptly, or become erotic. It was the kiss of a man and a woman who truly cared for each other, and did not use each other as sources of pleasure. The Gatekeeper just smiled at the two lovers, and turned away to let them have their moment.

"How was I brought back?" Malon asked, when they ended the kiss.

Link just pointed at the Gatekeeper. Malon smiled at the Gatekeeper, who lowered his eyes modestly.

"Thank you, Mr..." Malon said.

"Just call me the Gatekeeper," the Gatekeeper replied. "For that is what I am."

The Gatekeeper then turned, and looked across the room at a young brown haired girl who had just entered the room.

"Hailey," he said, "I didn't expect you to be up yet. Shouldn't you be in bed resting?"

"I felt something inside me tell me to come see you," Hailey said with a smile.

Hailey took a step forward, into the room, and then staggered backwards. The Gatekeeper immediately walked to her side, and caught her in his strong arm. He then lead her over to a chair, and sat her down in it.

"Best be careful," he said. "You aren't in any condition to go walking around. Not yet at least."

He then realized that he had forgotten that Link and Malon were still in the room with him.

"Oh," he said, embarrassed. "Link, Malon, meet Hailey. Hailey, this is Link and Malon."

All three said hi, and Link leaned over to shake Hailey's hand. The two girl's did not shake hands, for both of them were currently immobile.

"Are you okay Gatekeeper?" Link said, noticing the Gatekeeper's saddened eyes.

"Don't worry about me," the Gatekeeper said, whipping his eyes with his sleeve. "But all of us must leave this town immediately. We must go to the graveyard."

"What are you talking about?" Hailey asked.

"The town has fallen into darkness," the Gatekeeper said. "It is no longer safe for you here. I will lead you to the end of the Graveyard. From there, you can escape into the far east of Hyrule."

"You aren't coming with us?" Hailey said, disbelieving all of it.

"Don't worry about me," the Gatekeeper said. "My fate is not in your hands."

The room was blanketed in silence. The Gatekeeper then put on his cloak, and beckoned to all of them.

"We don't have time to wait around. We must leave now."

He then walked over to the chair, and lifted Hailey up from it. Then, with her in his arms, he started for the door.

"Come on Link," he said. "You must carry Malon, for she will be unable to walk for a while."

Link lifted Malon slowly up from the couch. She smiled at him as he gently picked her up, and held her in his arms. He then turned, and followed the Gatekeeper out the door. The four of them were immediately met by a group of several villagers.

"Gatekeeper," one said. "We are in trouble. The town's people have turned against you. And soon they will come to destroy you!"

"This I know," the Gatekeeper said. "All of you must come with me. We must get as many people out of Kakariko as we can. For all who are with me will be persecuted. I take it all of you have not believed the lies of the new spirits, and are still loyal to the Lord of Light."

All of the heads in the crowd nodded.

"Let's go now," the Gatekeeper said, walking briskly for the graveyard. The other's followed him through the ancient gravestones. But one of them hung back until all were past him. He then turned, and ran back into the village.

The Gatekeeper lead them through the Graveyard towards the only other exit out from the town.

"Unfortunately," as he explained to them. "I was never able to put gates over that entrance which repelled Poes, for people in the town still followed darkness, so the energy of light would not enter these gates. That is why there are so many Poes in the Graveyard."

"Will they attack us?" one of the villagers asked.

"Do not fear," the Gatekeeper replied. "The Lord of Light will keep us safe."

They walked on in silence, for all of them knew that something was wrong. The Gatekeeper walked slowly, with his head drooped towards the ground. His eyes held the look of one who has lost all his friends and family to death. His shoulders sagged as he walked on, trying his best to hold in his tears. When they reached the eastern entrance, the Gatekeeper told them to stop and make camp.

"I must go out by myself for now," he said. "But all of you remain here. Take care of each other while I am gone."

He then turned, and walked back through the Graveyard. When he was a good distance away, the Gatekeeper through himself to the ground, and began praying to the Lord of Light.

"Please father," he said. "If only things were not the way they are, then the future would not be so bleak. But I know that it is the only way, and I trust your will. Please protect all of them from evil."

Suddenly a stream of bright bluish light gently touched the Gatekeeper's face, like a mother's caress. He opened his eyes, and saw a fairy which had come to comfort him. The Gatekeeper held a gentle hand out to the tiny creature, and the small sprite lit upon his hand, and rested.

"Bless you creature of light," the Gatekeeper said. "You have always been good to me."

He remained there for a few hours, before returning to his friends at the eastern exit. His followers watched him as he arrived, all of them wondering where he had been. But the Gatekeeper just sat down among them, and silently brooded.

"How long will we wait here?" one asked.

"Until it is time," the Gatekeeper said. "No matter what happens, I want you guys to stay out here, just beyond this exit. Stay out here. Do not go back into the village unless by some miracle it is saved from the evil that now holds it."

His eyes were sad, and he sounded on the verge of tears. His head hung limply from his neck, and his limbs seemed weak. As Link watched the Gatekeeper, he realized that he had been his friend the whole time. Link had never agreed with the Gatekeeper's beliefs, and had even yelled at him, but the Gatekeeper had always been there to help him in times of trouble. Link suddenly felt guilty for what he had said to him before leaving Kakariko Village.

"I must travel back through the Graveyard," the Gatekeeper said. "You guys must continue on from here without me."

"Oh surely you don't think we will let you go back there by yourself," a man suddenly said.

"No," Link said. "We must go with you."

"All of you must remain outside the village," the Gatekeeper said. "It is not safe for you back there with me. Besides, I would rather do this alone."

"Oh no you don't," another said. "You know that is a lie. Please, accept our assistance. We only wish to help you."

"One of you has betrayed us," the Gatekeeper said. "He now runs to tell the evil spirits of our flight. I must go back. When they have me, they won't hunt the rest of you. If you follow me, I am afraid all of you will abandon me in hopes of saving yourselves."

"I will remain at your side no matter what happens," Link said. "You have always been there to help me when I needed help. You even brought Malon back from the dead."

"I tell you truthfully Link," the Gatekeeper said. "You will deny me to save yourself. Before tomorrow's sun rises, you will betray me."

"That is not true!" Link said. "I will remain at your side no matter what!"

"How do you know all this?" Malon asked.

"I know," the Gatekeeper said in response.

He turned, and looked back towards the town.

"Some of you may come with me, until I tell you to stop. Then, I hope you will return here, and leave the village."

Link immediately stood up to follow the Gatekeeper.

"Do you want to come with us?" Link asked Malon.

"I'll come," Malon said, smiling up at Link.

Link picked Malon back up, and walked over to the Gatekeeper. A couple of other people followed, one of them carrying Hailey. The Gatekeeper turned, and walked on through the graveyard. The others just followed slowly. Those who chose to remain at the eastern exit just watched as the others walked back towards the village.

As the small group of people continued walking, they began to see men with torches walking into the Graveyard towards them. Several of the spirits flew above them, and the men were all armed with swords and other weapons.

"This is where you must stop," the Gatekeeper said.

"He's the one!" one man in the large crowd shouted. "That is the Gatekeeper."

"So he is," said one of the spirits, floating over their heads.

"Am I some kind of criminal that you come here with swords to arrest me?" the Gatekeeper said.

"You hurt one of the great ones!" one of the people in the crowd shouted.

"Really," the Gatekeeper said. "I was not aware that I had hurt the Lord of Light's feelings. Then I'll apologize to him."

"Take him away," one of the spirits said.

Two men stepped forward, and grabbed the Gatekeeper roughly.

"No!" Link shouted, immediately drawing his bow and loosing an arrow into one of the men.

The arrow struck him in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground. The man screamed as blood began to pour from the wound, and stain the grass.

"Put away your weapons Link," the Gatekeeper said. "These men may mean me harm, but there will be no bloodshed here!"

The Gatekeeper reached out to the wounded man, and pulled the arrow out from his shoulder. He then touched the wound gently, and his hand began to glow brightly. The skin began to stitch itself back together, and the arteries sewed themselves shut. Soon the man's shoulder was completely healed.

"What are you waiting for?" another of the spirits asked. "Take him away!"

Some of the Gatekeeper's followers began to edge away.

"You!" one of the spirits suddenly shouted in a commanding voice. "You must come with us as well!"

The crowd of believers broke, and they ran off into the graveyard. The Gatekeeper bowed his head as he watched his friends run off into the darkness. He then looked up, and saw a tall spirit walking through the crowd towards him. He was dressed in light blue silken clothing, his face held a look of maturity, and seriousness. His jet black hair was slicked back, and his mustache was neatly groomed. It appeared to be human, but the Gatekeeper saw through the guise.

"Nargasa," he said.

"We meet again Gatekeeper," Nargasa said, clearly enjoying his new form. "But this time I will not be the one running away."

"You must let my followers leave this town!"

"I know, I know. Or your precious Lord of Light will hurt me, won't he? No. I release them, on the condition that you will do nothing to save yourself."

Nargasa frowned, and glared into the Gatekeeper's eyes.

"You keep your end of the deal," he whispered, "and Ganon and I will keep ours."

"He will meet me when it happens," the Gatekeeper said.

"Yes," Nargasa said impatiently. "He is looking forward to seeing you again."

Nargasa then drew a sword, and plunged it into the Gatekeeper's thigh. The Gatekeeper shouted in pain, but did not make a move to stop the blade from cutting him. Nargasa smirked, and turned to his followers.

"Take him to the town center! Tell all the women and children to remain in their homes. I think there is no man on earth, or in Hell who will suffer as greatly as this man will!"

The crowd cheered, and dragged the Gatekeeper off into the village. But among them were several of the Gatekeeper's followers, mingling with the crowd and pretending not to be friends of his.

_**The hammer has truly fallen. Now what will happen to the Gatekeeper?**_


	9. Chapter 9 Brightened Soul

**Chapter 9 Brightened Soul**

_**Hey everybody. Sorry, this chapter isn't very long, and it isn't very dark, but I got to the end of it, and decided that I had arrived at a great place ot end the chapter. So here it is! Ri2, the Gatekeeper used the powers of the Lord of Light to bring her back to life. He used that power to reattach the bonds between the body and the soul. I remember you saying that the power of light isn't about giving life back to the dead, don't be so sure of that. The question I would ask is why isn't it? Remember, I am a Christian, and Jesus brought the dead back to life, and even rose from the dead when he was killed. Several of the prophets in the Bible also brought the dead back to life again. Yes, and Malon had the light (which actually was the spirit of the lord of light) in her because she was a believer. Yes, and Navi didn't warn him, because she knew as little as he did about what was behind the door. In fact, it was that incident that made her so edgy in the future about the grave of the Sheikah. As for Ganon losing the fight, Ganon has no hope of ever triumphing over the Lord of Light, it just is not possible. But the Lord of Light allows him to remain on the earth because of the prophesy. Remember, the Lord of Light allowed him to take over the world because mankind had turned its back on the Lord of Light. You know how the Bible says that Satan is the ruler of the world? Same thing here. And the gate was barred, it just was opened and closed with a rope that you pull which was on the other side. Okay, enough author's note, enjoy!  
**_

"What are they going to do to him?" Malon asked Link, as he carried her through the crowd of angry people.

"I don't know," Link whispered.

He looked down at the robe which he wore to conceal himself, and the Hergon blade which was in his stomach. He had pulled his hood up to cover his face, and had hidden his sword within the folds of his cloak. Malon was dressed in similar clothing. The crowd dragged the Gatekeeper to the town center, and threw him to the ground. He lay there in the cold brown earth as the people hurled insults at him, mocking his very existence.

"Those who harm the mighty will receive their penalty in full!" a strange black haired spirit said as it rose up into the air.

It was, in truth, Nargasa, but Link and Malon did not know this.

"Now he will die!"

The Gatekeeper was pulled roughly to his feet, and then knocked back down by a long wooden pole. Six men walked in from the crowd, and began beating him with staffs. The Gatekeeper cried out each time one of the painful weapons slammed against his hard flesh, but did not stop the men from harming him.

"He shall regret the day he was born!" Nargasa shouted above the shouts and jeers from the crowd.

The six men stopped, and backed away. The Gatekeeper tried to stand back up, but failed miserably. The blows from the staffs had left two of his ribs broken.

"He will not stand and face us!" Nargasa shouted. "Then we will make him!"

Another man walked through the crowd with a long leather whip held in his hands. He swung it back, and cracked it down against the Gatekeeper's back. The whip cracked painfully across him, breaking through his shirt, and cutting into his flesh. The Gatekeeper cried out in pain, but the blows from the whip kept coming.

"Stay here for a little while," Link said to Malon, "I'm going to see if I can get up closer."

"Okay," Malon said.

Link then carried her over to a building, and leaned her against it. Malon wrapped her arm around a tree branch which jutted out right by her, and held herself in position. Link then turned, and walked through the crowd towards the front. As he walked, he looked up into the sky and noticed that it was getting lighter, but the sun wasn't up. Morning was coming. Link slowly edged his way through the crowd, to the front. As he passed through the crowd, suddenly an old woman turned and looked him in the eyes.

"Hey, you were one of the people who was with that man," she said.

Link's heart stopped beating inside of him. He did not want anyone to know that he was a friend of the Gatekeepers. He did not want to risk receiving the same fate as the Gatekeeper.

"Ma'am," he whispered softly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"But I saw you with him," she said.

Link turned, and walked away from the lady.

"Hey you," a man suddenly said. "Weren't you with the Gatekeeper?"

"No," Link said horrified. "I do not even know that man."

"You were one of his friends that ran off back into the graveyard," another man said. "I saw you."

"No!" Link said rather sharply. "I don't know that man!"

Suddenly Link looked over, and saw the thin rim of the sun rising up above the horizon. Dawn had come.

_"I tell you truthfully Link, you will deny me to save yourself. Before __tomorrow's sun rises, you will betray me."_

Link remembered the Gatekeeper's words, he remembered what the Gatekeeper had said. And Link had denied it to be true. He had said he would never deny the Gatekeeper and he just had, three times. Tears came to his eyes, and he looked back over towards the Gatekeeper. The Gatekeeper was looking at him with a sad look in his eyes. That was too much for Link. He let out a garbled sob, before running off through the crowd as tears fell from his eyes.

"Link," Malon said, as he ran past her. "I'm over here."

But Link ignored her. He dashed into an Ally, and threw himself to the ground and cried. How could all this be happening? How could he have betrayed the Gatekeeper that way. If he was ashamed of being friends with the Gatekeeper, then why should the Gatekeeper not be ashamed of being friends with him? Link stopped crying, and raised his face from the ground. His red eyes were filled with wonder. Why would the Gatekeeper allow them to do all that to him? To allow his followers to escape of course. Link was touched that the Gatekeeper would give his life like that to save all of them. But that didn't provide much comfort for him. He had spent his time attacking the Gatekeeper's beliefs in the Lord of Light, and had never ever thought for once that maybe the Gatekeeper was right. He had never considered the beliefs of others. And now that he thought back on things, Link didn't want who he had been. He didn't want that "skeptical insultingly always right and everyone else is wrong" attitude. He didn't want the person he had been. But how could he change now?

In the past, he had seen the world as some unimportant place in which creatures fought against one another for survival. But when he met Malon again, and felt true love, he began to wonder. How could something so wonderful as love exist if the world had no purpose, no point. Perhaps there truly was a Lord of Light. But how could Link speak to him after all the time he had spent cursing him. The world was wonderful, and Link was now sure that there was more to life than just who was stronger than the others. Life was more than just an accident. Heck, Link could also accept the idea that Life was created on purpose for a purpose. Suddenly a revelation hit him greater than any other. It was almost as if he saw the Lord of Light standing before him.

He realized that for the world to be as great as it was, it would have had to be fashioned by intelligent design, and the design of one, not many. For each skeletal structure of every creature were all closely related, so there must have been one mind which fashioned them all. How could many minds have all worked together to from something so great? Their would always be division among them, and the world would not be as wonderful as it was. Most everything spawned from one source. The egg and the sperm came together, creating one single cell. And this single cell then began to split apart into multiple cells, a growing child. And what a wonderful creature this one embryo was. How glorious it was! A child, not yet fully formed, but preparing itself to face the world around it. Even individual bacteria formed from one source. The mother bacteria split apart to form two babies. In fact, all cells worked in this manner. So if everything on earth came from one source, then couldn't it be said that the world itself generated from one source.

How the creatures had adapted to the conditions of the world, changing to meet every obstacle, their must have been intelligence steering this as well. For an animal can not decide for itself to develop certain adaptations. Man had risen above all animals, for man thought creatively, and was not bound to instinct. Man was so different, that Link could only conclude that man was created because the creator wanted a species which would follow him because it decided to, not because it had too. That was what it must have been like for animals. They probably all believed in the Lord of Light in their own little way, and couldn't stop believing in him, for it was in their nature. But man had cursed the Lord of Light, and turned away from him, and then Ganon had taken the throne. Now Link understood!

The Lord of Light was not a magical old man in the sky as Link had thought. No. He was a being, greater than any, a higher state of creature. Some would ask when was the beginning of him, but he was the beginning. Some may ask at what time was he created, but he created time. He was above the people of the world, at a higher state of being. But the belief that people could achieve the same level of being as the Lord of Light was false. The Lord of Light had been the first of his kind, and he would be the last. None would come to cast him out of his throne, and he would reign forever and ever. Not even Ganon had the strength to fight him. Ganon's fate had been sealed long ago. In the end, he would fall, and he knew it. Ganon had no hope of ever succeeding. The Lord of Light was truly the one and the only. The Lord of Light had no peers. The Lord of Light was a God, the one and only God. Never again would there be a God, and never before had there been a God. The Lord of Light had been the beginning, the source. Where everything had been born was from him. He was mighty, wrathful, and loving. And he would triumph!

"Lord of Light," he said. "I have ran from you all of my life, denying your existence. I have... I have cursed you, and insulted you. I have done many bad things that are against what you stand for. I tried... I tried to destroy one of your greatest gifts. I tried to destroy a girl's virginity, and almost cast mine away as if it were unimportant. I insulted the Gatekeeper, and spoke badly of him. But now I see that you are indeed real. And how great you are! I am not worthy to stand before you and ask this, but please lord, father, forgive me. I do not want to be who I was anymore. Please take that part of me and cast it away forever. And in the end, keep me safe. I accept you as my King!"

Suddenly a big weight had been lifted off of Link's chest. For the first time in his life, he truly felt that he had been forgiven. Suddenly he felt a warm sensation in his stomach. Link looked down, and saw the Hergon blade which extended out from it. A beam of bright white light had surrounded it. The dim yellow blade began to tremble under the stream of light. Suddenly, the Hergon blade split into a million pieces, which all shot off in different directions before disappearing into thin air. The Lord of Light had removed the blade! Link bowed his head back to the ground, and tears of joy began to stream down his face. Then he felt a soft hand touch his shoulder. He looked up, and saw Malon kneeling beside him.

"How did you... how did you..." he said, surprised.

Malon smiled.

"I walked, okay? It wasn't easy, but I walked."

"Great!" Link said. "Now your strength is returning."

"I heard what you were saying Link," Malon said. "And let me tell you, I've never ever felt so proud of you."

Link smiled as more tears rolled down his cheeks.

"I've never felt better than I do now," Link said. "I have been saved."

"So I see," Malon said. "Come on, lets get out of here."

She tried to stand, but faltered, and began staggering backwards. Link caught her in his strong arm, and swept her off her feet into his arms.

"I think I'll do the transporting for now," he said with a smile.

Malon smiled back.

_**The Lord of Light has now saved Link from the Hergon blade, and his unwanted past. Now a future may be made. A glorious, and righteous future. Link and Malon will rise high, and accomplish much. But the Gatekeeper is still being beaten in the square. Whips still crack against his broken skin, tearing him apart. When will the torture end? When will he be able to fight back? This is not the end! The end is not here yet. The book continues. Hold onto your hats righteous readers, the Great Hammermaster will be back.**_


	10. Chapter 10 Dark Spirit Ganon

**Chapter 10 Dark Spirit Ganon**

_**I'm really sorry it took me so long to finish this chapter, but here it is! Ri2, you ask many questions. Lets see if I can answer all of them. Yes, some believe that once you are dead you stay dead, but I think that with supernatural intervention then the soul can be reconnected to the dead body. Like what Jesus did to Lazarus in the Bible. I never said that Dark energy couldn't do something to that equivalent, but I don't believe that Satan has the power to really reconnect a soul to a body. I believe when that happens an evil spirit (a demon, if you will) comes upon the dead body and takes control of it. That is mentioned in the book of Revalation. That is why Necromancy is considered evil. And when Jesus rose from the dead, he didn't "die" as we would call it. He ascended directly into heaven, which, in a way, is dying, but he did not die because of physical means. He "died" willingly. Satan probably wants us to think that Evil and Good share lots in common, but it just isn't so. People always refer to the "darks side" of man, and he "light side of man," but they never combine them together. That's because the two sides are so different from each other. And Navi knew about as much as Link did about the demon in the well. Ganon can't defeat the Lord of Light, because compared to the Lord of Light, Ganon is amazingly weak. The Lord of Light is omnipotent, remember, Ganon is just a fairy who turned to darkness. He just happens to be the leader of the Poes. So why would he be very strong? As for Ganon getting earth, the Lord of Light could have protected the people of the earth, but they told him not to. They liked Ganon, and what he was doing, even though he used his power to turn the world into darkness. The people forced the Lord of Light to allow Ganon to carry out his dark plans, and the Lord of Light stepped out of the way, and let Ganon, for he is a Gentleman, and Gentlemen leave when people ask them to. And the people had to believe in the Lord of Light for him to fill them with his spirit and repel the powers of darkness away from them. But the people would close themselves to the Lord of Light. The Lord of Light never stopped fighting Ganon, but he must allow the people of earth to follow darkness if that's what they choose. And if they follow darkness, then the darkness will consume them. Its like you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. If someone is sick, you can offer to cure them, but you can't force them to. If someone has cancer and you offer to give them Chemotherapy, some people will refuse to take it, and then will have to deal with the consequences later when the Cancer gets stronger. You can't force them to take Chemotherapy. If Ganon is taking over someone, the Lord of Light can offer to cast the darkness away, but the people can refuse this, and they will have to deal with the consequences later when Ganon gets strong in there world. THe Lord of Ligth can't force them to let him cast Ganon away. No, I never said man wasn't an animal, but we are given the gift (or curse) of choosing for ourselves how to live. Animals live the way they do because they are created to live that way, but we are given the ability to choose wether we will follow good or evil. Man, Gorons, Zora's, Kokiri are all the same, they just look different from each other. I made fairies servants of the Lord of Light, and Poes are Fallen Fairies. Ganon was once a fairy, but like the other poes, he turned against the Lord of Light, and became Ganon.**_

The Gatekeeper lifted his head up from the cold mud, before being knocked back down again. He groaned as the blows from the whip continued to strike his back.

"Stop!" a commanding voice suddenly shouted.

Heads turned to face the man who had spoken up. They saw a man dressed in a green tunic with a green hat.

"I know who that man is!" a lady in the crowd shouted. "He was one of the people who was with the Gatekeeper. He was in here a little while ago, but then he was covered with a brown cloak."

"Release the Gatekeeper," Link said. "He has done nothing wrong."

A spirit stepped through the crowd towards Link.

"The Gatekeeper is as good as dead. And you should have the wisdom to know that he must die."

Link looked into the eyes of the black haired spirit.

"I know who you are," Link said. "You are Nargasa. The _Evil_ Spirit."

"Not so, Link," Nargasa said, with a cold glare. "I gave you a chance to survive. But you return to me. Leave this place, and never return. And I might just let you live."

"You are a murderer," Link said. "You are worthy of no title other than that. I will never leave this town under your command."

"Take this wretch away from here," Nargasa commanded, and two burly men grabbed Link roughly by the shoulders, and dragged him away.

"You will never triumph," the Gatekeeper said, rising to his feet painfully. "And you Nargasa, you know this. I die here, but your death will be much worse than mine. May he that has a clear conscious be the first to cut me. May the one who has no sins be the first to break me!"

Nargasa's eyes flared, and he ran forward and punched the Gatekeeper painfully in the jaw. The Gatekeeper groaned and tumbled back against the wall of a building. Nargasa then drew two daggers, and began slicing the sides of the Gatekeeper. The Gatekeeper screamed in agony as the steel blades drew his blood and cut his flesh.

"Now you will die!" Nargasa shouted, before slicing the Gatekeeper's forehead, and sheathing his bloody daggers.

The Gatekeeper tumbled back against the wall, and moaned. Nargasa stepped backwards, and drew a bow and fitted an arrow on the end. The condemned man looked up, almost expecting this. Then, Nargasa loosed a shaft into the Gatekeeper's wrist. The arrow broke right through the Gatekeeper's bone, and went into the cold wooden wall behind him. The Gatekeeper opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Nargasa inserted a new shaft, and fired it into the Gatekeeper's other wrist. It too, was nailed brutally to the wall. This time the Gatekeeper's eyes rolled back, and a soft moan came from his mouth. The second shaft had split through the main vein in his arm. Blood poured from the wound, its tainted red stain crossing his flesh. He hung from his arms, which had both been stabbed to the wall. The Gatekeeper began to feel dizzy and weak as the blood from the vein in his hand began to leave his body. His eyes darkened, and he could feel himself slipping away.

"Lie there in your blood and your misery," Nargasa said. "Die Gatekeeper! Die!"

Suddenly three of the Spirits began to change. Their human forms fell away, and they became Poes once again. The people in the crowd were shocked to see this, but they did nothing about it. The three dark beings floated up to the dying Gatekeeper, and drew their Hergon Blades. They then began hacking at his body, scarring his soul, but doing no damage to his flesh.

"Leave the body!" Nargasa shouted. "May your soul be damned!"

"No!" the Gatekeeper shouted, and fixed the three Poes with an icy glare. They stopped, and backed away in fear.

"I declare to you this day Nargasa, that you have not won!"

Nargasa did not speak.

"I die, but in my place, I leave a future for those who did not fall into your dark scheme. They live, because I die. And you can never stop this. If only I could live long enough to see them survive, but I can't. You have not even killed me. You have cut my body, but my soul holds on. I do not die by your hand. I go willingly. For I never break a promise. You promised me those people would escape. And I promised you that I would die. But not by your hand. Not by your hand!"

The Gatekeeper's eyes flashed, as his voice tone rose. He then calmed down, and leaned his head back before smiling at his enemy.

"Farewell Nargasa. It is time to complete my part of the bargain."

The Gatekeeper then leaned his head back, and moved no more. He closed his eyes, and allowed himself to slip fully away. His soul had been broken from his body. A gust of wind blew by, carrying with it the leaves which had fallen from the trees, and the soul of the dead Gatekeeper. The soul of the man who had triumphed in his own death. The soul of the man who died willingly for his friends. And as the spirit of the torch holder, the Gatekeeper, blew away with the wind, the flesh of each evil spirit in the crowd crawled as they felt the icy touch of light caress them lightly. Nargasa's soul was even lightly scarred by the moving spirit.

"He has gone," Nargasa said. "He is dead!"

Then with an angry roar, Nargasa ran to the dead corpse, and began shaking it viciously with his hands.

"Curse you! Curse you Gatekeeper! You who died willingly! You who found a way to harm me while still upholding our deal! May you be damned to the deepest pit of Hell!"

Nargasa drew his daggers, and began hacking viciously at the dead flesh of the Gatekeeper.

"Die you... you... accursed Witness of the Lord of Light! May your bones rot in the cold depths of the sea! I hate you! I hate you! And yet in the end you triumph! Burn! I tell you! Burn in the depths of Hades! BURN WITH ALL THE EVIL SPIRITS WHOM YOU CAST AWAY!"

But the dead man just slumped backwards, and did not react to the blows from the Gatekeeper. Nargasa's anger then left his eyes, and he threw his daggers to the ground. He then reached out, and grabbed both of the Gatekeeper's arms. He then yanked them viciously, tearing them off of the arrows which went into the cold wood behind the dead man. The corpse teetered forward, before falling in a bloody heap on the ground. Blood continued to pour from the wounds.

"Take that man into the Graveyard and seal him in the ground," Nargasa said with contempt. "Bury him in the domain of the Poes!"

Nargasa then turned, and walked off away from the corpse. The crowd dispersed, leaving only two people. A red haired girl and a man with a green cap stood before the dead body of the Gatekeeper and wept. He was gone now. He was gone. The man put a comforting arm around the girl, and slowly lead her away.

"I only wish I could have done more," Link said.

"There was nothing we could do," Malon said. "We were hopelessly outnumbered. And they almost killed you for speaking up."

"Yeah," Link winced, feeling his sore back from the lashes he had received. "But I suppose it is such that those who stand for what is right often suffer. And those who stand for what is wrong will rule the world. But they will not rule over the world of the dead."

Some people then came to take the body away, and Link and Malon walked off towards the graveyard.

* * *

"Lord Ganondorf!" the Gerudo girl shouted at the still body of the King of Hyrule. "Are you alright?"

"What's wrong Kiera," a servant girl said, walking over to the other gerudo.

"He isn't moving," Kiera said. "He just lays there as if he is dead."

"Leave him," the servant said. "He often goes into trances and communes with the spiritual world."

"That kind of makes you wonder," Kiera said.

"Wonder about what?"

"It makes you wonder why was he born so early. In Gerudo society a male is born every five hundred years. He came early. And have you ever noticed his name. It sounds like... Ganon. You know, the Dark Creature from afar."

"Don't tell me you're beginning to believe in the Lord of Light," the servant girl said. "Don't believe in old superstitious rot. That crap is so old age. No one believes in that anymore."

"Yeah, I suppose."

The servant smiled.

"Ganondorf's mother was a strict Ganonian. She believed in the Lord of Light, but chose to take the opposing side. So when her child was born she announced to the Gerudo that he was Ganon come in the form of a man, and named him after the mythical being."

"But what if she was right?"

"She wasn't," the servant girl said. "There is no Ganon, no Lord of Light. Its all that simple."

The two girls walked away from the body of Ganondorf. At the sound of the skeptical words of the servant, Ganondorf's mouth curled up into a smile. So easily deceived! Those thoughts, so much like how Link's had been two days before. Now so different.

* * *

It endured the pain, the heat, and the terror. It was waiting for him. Yes, the creature knew exactly what it would do when he came. It would crush him apart, and cast him down into the pit of fire which floated below it. The spirit's mouth slowly moved open into a smile as it heard sounds of skepticism from the physical world. Music to its ears. Ganon was its name, once the most beautiful fairy in the universe. Then he fell to its pride, and took up the bizarre, frightful face of Ganon. The Dark one. So many years had passed since that fateful day when Ganon turned against his creator. So many countless years since war had occurred. So many years since he had been overwhelmed, and cast away easily. But he was not gone, not yet. Only banished. Man had disobeyed the commands of the Lord of Light, and thus they allowed Ganon to enter their world. Soon he had poisoned them, leading the people of the earth away from the powers of Light. When the Lord of Light came to cast the Dark one away, the people of the earth resisted, calling the Lord of Light a demon, and claiming Ganon as their King. They told the Lord of Light to leave their world, that it was now in their hands. And the Lord of Light stepped away. But the people did not rule their world, it fell into the hands of Ganon. They had allowed this, therefore the Lord of Light allowed Ganon to take the world.

Above the fires of Hell, the demon, Ganon, stood, waiting. Then he saw a hazy spirit step over the sphere of flame towards him. Ganon smiled, and took a step towards his enemy.

_'You came,' _Ganon said.

_'Of course I came,' _the strange spirit replied. _'I keep my promises.'_

_'Really, well I don't. When I defeat you, I will return to the world above and put an end to your friends.'_

_'They are protected.'_

_'I will find a way. But now, I must cast you into the fires of Hell.'_

_'You will never succeed in that..'_

_'I am stronger than you think I am.'_

_'You are weak.'_

The dark spirit Ganon leaped towards his foe. He extended his arms, and two swords materialized in his hands. But his enemy sidestepped out of the way, and sent a stream of light into Ganon. Ganon's swords went spiraling off into the fire pit below.

_'How did you...'_

_'You think the Lord of Light would refuse to help me.'_

_'Curse the Lord of...'_

_'Blessed be the Lord of Light!'_

_Do not say his name!'_

The strange spirit leaped upon Ganon, and wrestled him to the ground. Ganon fought back, viciously tearing at his enemy's skull. But the spirit was stronger. Fear gripped Ganon's heart as his enemy slammed him down, and wrapped shining white chains around him. Ganon was stronger than all. He had never lost a fight.

_'You are a blade of grass before the Lord of Light!' _the shining spirit shouted.

_'Please,' _Ganon begged, in tears. _'Don't throw me down into the fire. Have mercy!'_

_'Mercy,' _the spirit said. _'That's something you never showed. But I will not cast you into Hell.'_

Ganon looked up at his enemy in surprise.

_'You won't?'_

_'No. You are not a threat to the Lord of Light. You can never defeat him. And with this deal we struck, you are even weaker than you were before.'_

_'What?'_

_'You effectively damned every person in Kakariko village who followed your Poes. But now that we have struck this deal, you forfeit all control of Kakariko village.'_

_'That's a lie!'_

_'You swore that if I defeated you, then the Lord of Light would acquire your lands.'_

_'No! He will not take Hyrule! That would stop his plan for the earth. His plan to allow me to rule when the hearts of man turned against the Lord of Light.'_

_'Yes. To show them who they are following when they do not follow the Lord of Light. To show them who you truly are. No, he will not reclaim Hyrule, not yet. But you are here by banished from Kakariko. Never return, or you will be cast into the Abyss. But you are now under order to give up your control of Hyrule when the Lord of Light commands. If you do not, then you will be prematurely cast into the fire. And you know that the Lord of Light is strong enough to do this!'_

The spirit then broke the bright shining chains, and released Ganon.

_'Where are you going?' _Ganon shouted as the spirit turned and began walking away.

_'I have fought to achieve salvation for my people. Now I will return to the world above. But you will remain here until tomorrow night.'_

Ganon was wise enough not to argue.

* * *

_**Wow**_._** Glad I got all that out. And I answered your questions Ri2. Good. I feel happy now. Gotta go write my other stories. Oh, and for those of you who are Halo fans, or Metroid fans, I just started a Halo/Metroid Fusion story, so if you could check that out and review it for me, I would appreciate it. Good bye everybody.**_  



	11. Chapter 11 Fall of Death

**Chapter 11 The Fall of Death**

_**Finally, last chapter. Ri2, to answer your question, the Lord of Light did not stop Ganon at the beginning because he wanted to test man, to allow Ganon a chance to deceive people, for he wanted to test people to see if they were worthy to be with him. If people immediately are deceived and change sides, then truly they aren't really your friend. Yes, Gentlemen get their hands dirty. The Lord of Light has sent fairies to the world to help people, and when necessary, He intervenes himself. If you want further explanation specify in your review, log in, and I will reply to it. The Lord of Light can have a form, but he doesn't really need one. Yes, the Gatekeeper is the symbol of Jesus in this Allegory.**_

A day of mourning. That was what the day was like for Malon, Link, and the other followers of the Gatekeeper. They had returned to the far east of the Graveyard, and had taken up residence there. They wept, cried, and comforted each other, but there was very little they could do. All of them had lost hope, for none could see how salvation could be reached now that the Gatekeeper had fallen.

Back in Kakariko, total chaos had taken over. The so called "good spirits" had finally revealed their true intent. Now Poes ran rampant through the streets at night, possessing and tormenting anyone they met. The Spirits still continued to tell everyone that everything was alright, that the Poes were just the last remaining forces of the Gatekeeper, come to torment those who followed the truth, but the people began to doubt their word. But what could they do? They couldn't fight against the spirits. The spirits were paranormal creatures, and the people of Kakariko village were mere mortals.

"If we can endure these attacks," one of the spirits had said. "Then eventually the creatures of darkness will leave our town forever. But until then, we must live out these attacks with a state of pacifism."

But the Poe attacks continued, and the spirits did nothing to stop it.

Deep beneath the soil of Kakariko, Chaos was raging. The Underworld, the place of eternal death, was growing. Extending its roots through the darkened soil it reached out like the hands of the dead, as it heard its master's calling. The dead moaned and shook their chains as the heat grew hotter, and their tormentors became more malevolent. The dead tortured each other, for that was the way it was. In the times of darkness those who fell to evil had turned against each other, lost all morality, and slit each other's throats. How long had they been buried? Since death. And till eternity. Raging fires. Laughind demons watched from above as their pray, so easily deceived in life, now so greatly punished in death. But the demons feared this great demise as well. Deep inside them, they knew that one day they would share the fate of the dead that they watched. They would be cast into the fire, and they feared it. Even Nargasa, in his evil, knew what was to come. Ganon was weak compared to the powers which would one day force him into the pain.

But inside this terror, something was happening. Death, the cold spirits which dragged people down to this fiery demise, looked up to face the change. Above them two spirits fought, each one fighting fiercely as if their very existence depended upon it. Whichever prevailed would call the shots. But the dark spirit could not stand against the light spirit. It could not take the glory that radiated from this great being. Above the Underworld they fought it out, cutting into paranormal flesh. But the Dark one, the leader of the Evil spirits could not stand. And he fell. Just lightly as the presence of the light spirit left the land, he fell. The Dark spirit fell right upon the underworld, and was burned by its touch. He screamed, and slashed at the flames that touched him, trying to escape from their wrath. He cursed the light being, crying out against it in anger. Death could just watch in amazement. Its leader had fallen. The leader shook itself out from the flames, and shot out from them as fast as it could. It had to escape from the darkness of Hell.

Death rose up, and shot after the light spirit, flying steadily up towards the surface. But it would not escape. The dark spirits chased after it. Death was moving. The light spirit turned, and saw them coming. Death was coming for it. The millions of spirits, always responsible for dragging so many people down into Hades, were coming for the light spirit. The light spirit could have fled, but it stopped. Was it not its duty to secure the salvation of those who were still alive? Was it not its duty to conquer death for the final time? Yes! Death, flew, straight, like an arrow on fire. The many demons forming it shrieked and roared at the light spirit who had turned to face them. Then, when they were close enough, they struck! Death struck with its claws, scarring the spirit of light in its already scarred body. Where its master failed, death would succeed. But they were not strong enough, as the spirit of light scarred death with its flashing blade of light. It scarred them and cut them as the millions of demons cried out in spiritual agony. They turned away from the light, and so it burned them. And the light now cast them away.

The light spirit lashed Death again, scarring it with its blades of light. Then, when all the dark spirits had been drained of their power, the light spirit cast Death into the fire. The dark spirits screamed as they fell into Hades, burning and screaming, and dissolving away. For Death will fall! Death can never stand against the powers of light, and as such it will die. Death cannot stand. For it has no sting. The spirits tried to escape, but it was hopeless. Immediately when they touched the fiery surface of the Underworld, it began dragging them down. They screamed as they felt the complete separation from their creator take its toll. Their flesh burned under the spiritual agony of the fact that they had lost all that they had ever had. Ever since the fateful day when they had traded what was good for evil, they had begun their descent. And Death had done enough. It was time for those demons to fall!

Then, as the last remnants of the creatures that were Death was sucked beneath the surface of Hades, the spirit of light turned from the dark land, and rose towards the sky.

"We can't do this sir."

"My son," Nargasa said to the sixteen year old boy whom he had taken "under his wing" since the spirits of darkness had taken the town. "We must make sure that the powers of darkness are cast from this town for ever."

"If you really are concerned about that," Johan (the boy) said in response, "then why won't you do anything about the Poes which attack us every night."

"Because we must whether their attacks until they leave us for good. That time will come."

"And yet you were so hasty to destroy the Gatekeeper?"

Nargasa stopped. He then turned, and faced the boy with fire in his eyes.

"Don't you ever say that to me again. Understand!"

Fire shot through Johan's eyes.

"No sir," he said. "I do not understand you anymore. Do you really intend to be there for me for eternity as you say? Or do you just make promises to win people over. Do you really think you are as great as you are? Or is it just a guise for the evil behind your mask."

Suddenly Nargasa turned and stared into the boy's eyes, glaring deep into his soul. Johan took a step backwards. Then, suddenly, Nargasa drew a bright shining yellow blade, and plunged it into Johan's chest. The boy shuddered as the blade sliced into his defenseless soul, unprotected against the powers of darkness.

"Now you will pay for saying that!"

Suddenly a loud trumpet roared over head, blasting through the ears of Nargasa and the other spirits as a curse, but singing sweetly like the call of grace to the people of the town.

"No!" Nargasa shouted, turning towards the window. "No!"

Without a word Nargasa dashed out the door, leaving Johan in the room with the yellow Hergon blade in his gut.

Nargasa ran out the door and turned towards the direction of the graveyard, and beheld an amazing sight. A glorious figure shrouded in a white, gleaming cloak walked down across the path into the town of Kakariko.

"Nargasa!" the figure shouted. "Your reign over these people has ended!"

The words rose above the sky, echoing like arrows through the Evil Spirits mind. Nargasa growled, and took a step back. Behind the figure walked all the people who had followed the Gatekeeper out from Kakariko village. With them were Malon, Link, and Hailey.

"What are you doing here!" Nargasa raged. "I killed you quite soundly before. And you just won't stay dead!"

"I have risen again," the Gatekeeper said. "I was not worthy of hell. I met Ganon, and fought him, and defeat him. As such he forfeits all control of this town. This town belongs to the Lord of Light!"

"This town shall choose its Governor," Nargasa said, "and they chose me!"

"Are you sure about that Nargasa?"

"Of course I'm s-"

Nargasa then looked out at the townspeople who had stepped out from their homes to see what was going on. Their faces no longer held the triumph from the night they killed the Gatekeeper. Now their faces held fear, and shame.

"There is no place for evil here anymore," Nargasa said. "No longer will you use this town to pour out your wrath!"

Nargasa took a step back.

"Spirits!" he shouted. "To me!"

Then every Spirit Guide, Guardian, or long lost family member immediately left the people they had sworn to protect and ran to Nargasa's side.

"You want this town," Nargasa said with a grin, "then you'd better pry it out of our cold, dead fingers you Son of Light. I know who you are!"

The Gatekeeper whipped back his hood immediately, and glared at Nargasa.

"You don't know the half of it," he said almost in a whisper.

With that the Gatekeeper drew his flashing sword, and held it out towards Nargasa.

"You are but alone!" Nargasa shouted, as his skin began to dissolve.

The townspeople looked at him in fear as his skin slipped from his features slowly, as if it was melting in the sun. But when it fell away, there was no skeleton underneath. Just a gray, ghostly figure. A spirit.

"Did I ever tell you why I take on this form?" Nargasa (in his true form) said with a grin. "I could just have been a Dark Great Fairy, but no. I took on the form of the ghost of a man, walking through the rain at night. You know why? Because the first man I ever dragged to hell was a poor man dressed as I am walking in the rain. He was the first man I corrupted."

The skin of the other spirits began to slip away as well. The townspeople watched in horror as their guides, their guardians, and their lost family members became monsters. The were Poes once again.

"No," Nargasa said. "We are Poes too often. Take on your true form!"

The Poes cackled evilly, and began to change again. Surprisingly, as they changed, they began to shrink. They became small. Soon they were all in their fairy forms again. Their wings stretched out from a their bodies, which were all surrounded by a ball of purple light.

"Look!" Malon shouted, pointing at the sky.

Link and the others looked up to see an army of fairies flying down from the sky, lead by one mighty Great Fairy who wielded a mighty sword of light.

"Your power is weaker than the power of light," the Gatekeeper said. "Leave this town forever Nargasa. I banish you!"

Nargasa looked up in amazement at the mighty army of the Lord of Light that descended down upon him. The glory of the Lord of Light shone all around the Fairies as they flew down upon his army.

"You have failed Nargasa," Link suddenly shouted. "I finally see what you truly are. Ganon will never triumph. He is too weak. I see this now, the Lord of Light's power is greater than anything I have ever seen before. You failed to kill Malon, you failed to stop me from learning the truth, and Ganon failed to defeat the Gatekeeper. You have failed!"

Nargasa's eyes glazed over with a new emotion. Fear. He glared at the Gatekeeper before turning and fleeing as fast as he could. As he ran his guise fell away, and they saw his true form. He was just a Great Fairy, a Dark Great Fairy running for his life. The other evil spirits followed behind him. The Gatekeeper's disciples immediately began to cheer as the demons fled before them. Link hugged Malon, and the Gatekeeper smiled. Even the town's people began to cheer, for they now knew the truth about the Spirits. They ran to the Gatekeeper, and threw themselves to the ground before him, begging for forgiveness.

"Of course I forgive you all," the Gatekeeper said. "That is why I was sent here."

"What are you talking about?" Link asked.

The Gatekeeper's eyes became solemn, for there is an extreme form of happiness which makes you feel very serious.

"Oh," the Gatekeeper began, as if beginning a long story, "I don't know if I forgot all this, or if it just slipped aside so that I could grow up among the people of this world. But I was there at the beginning of time, when the world was carved into existence."

"I don't understand," Hailey said.

"You see, I am the Son of the Lord of Light. Essentially I am equal to the Lord of Light, but in another sense, I am a different person. It is hard to explain, and hard for people like you to fully understand. I was sent to the Earth to provide a way for the people to be redeemed for there sins after Ganon took the land. But in order to do this blood had to be poured to release Ganon's control from the Earth. So I sacrificed myself in order to secure a path. When I died I did not go with my Father. I went to the surface of Hell, where I battled Ganon for the rights to the Earth. He may still control it, but when he is defeated by the Hero of Time, he will lose all control over the earth, and the people may return to the Lord of Light after spending years under the dark reign of Ganon. I don't know if they will return to the Lord of Light, but they have the chance to. Maybe nothing will return. Maybe people will not change their way of life even after Ganon is gone. But at least I touched you guys, and at least the world knew the truth. If Nargasa had truly understood what love is, then maybe he would have seen exactly what my sacrifice meant. Maybe he would have understood what would happen. But that wouldn't matter, because if he understood then he would still be a Great Fairy."

"He was a Great Fairy," Link said. "Now I understand. He turned to evil, and was cast away from the Lord of Light. So with no place to go, he came here to Kakariko village, joined forces with Ganon, and took up residence within the underworld he created beneath the well."

"You are correct," the Gatekeeper replied. "But the battle is not over yet. I feel that you will face Nargasa again. He has fled to the Graveyard with his evil spirits. They have gone to the Shadow Temple, the next step in your quest."

"Shadow Temple?" Link asked.

"Yes," the Gatekeeper said. "The place in this world which is said to be the closest to Hell. The fires of the Abyss are said to have burned the Shadow temple, and as such it is a common meeting place of evil spirits. You see, as they fear the fires of Hell, they must come close to it to throw in the souls that they drag down to the Abyss. And in doing so, they come to the Shadow Temple. My soul traveled down their after I died to fight Ganon."

"Is that why you said he forfeit all control of the town?" Link asked.

"You are correct," the Gatekeeper said with a smile.

He then turned, and looked at the townspeople.

"You all betrayed me," he said. "You joined forces with Ganon's minions and helped him to kill me."

His eyes then grew light.

"But you have come to me for forgiveness, and wasn't that what I was sent to bring forth? You all have been forgiven. Go, and sin no more. Spread the word of the Lord of Light after I leave, spread the light, tell everyone."

Then the Gatekeeper smiled at his disciples once more, before rising straight up into the sky as a column of bright light surrounded him. Link and Malon looked up in amazement as the figure of the Gatekeeper rose higher and higher into the sky. Soon he had disappeared from sight.

"Where is he going?"

"What is he doing?"

The people murmered among themselves.

"Do not worry about him now," Navi said, addressing the crowd. "He is not here anymore."

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

Navi smiled.

"He has returned to his father, the Lord of Light. He has traveled back to heaven, for his work here on Earth has been completed."

Silence reined over the crowd. None of them knew what to say. The man who had saved them from the evil spirits had gone. The son of the Lord of Light had traveled back home to his father. Then, without word, Link stepped forward, looking up into the sky where the Gatekeeper had disappeared.

"We will miss you, friend," Link said. "Thank you for all that you did for us, and all that you did for me. I make a solemn pledge here to strike down Ganon WITH the power of the Lord of Light. To strike him down with the Blade of Evil's bane, crafted to wield the energies of Light. I will work to spread what you have begun Gatekeeper. Thank you, and may the Lord of Light bless you."

A tear rolled down his cheek as he spoke, for he knew he would miss the Gatekeeper. But he also knew that he had gone to a better place, and he had finished what he had come to begin. Kakariko had been saved, and soon all of Hyrule would be as well.

**_There. Now you know my piece, my voice. You know that I believe in God, and Jesus, and have faith in them. You know I have faith in forgiveness. You know I trust that through the sacrifice of Jesus I will be redeemed of my sins. And this is not a selective gift. It is available to all of you. All you must do is believe that Jesus is your savior and Lord, and pray to him, accepting him into your heart as your savior, and asking him for forgiveness. Then you will be saved of your sins, and you will be a child of God once again. Heh, I should have known I would have gotten preachy at the end. Its the way I am. A final inspirational quote, and I'm gone. I pray that you people will seek out the truth of Jesus Christ after reading this, and I pray that God will lead you to the truth. Listen to me, or ignore me, I still love you, and I thank you for taking the time to read this. May God Bless you all._**

****

**_"I believe what I believe. ITs what makes me who I am. I did not make it, no it is making me, it is the very truth of God, not the invention of any man." -Rich Mullins in a song. _**


End file.
